So thank you, NetGalley, Emrae Publishing, and CB Woods, for an early copy of this book for an honest review.

Now, this is one of the easiest 5 stars in my life. Where do I even begin?

I guess... firstly? I AM YELLING AND ABSOLUTELY FERAL FOR THIS BOOK. LIKE EXCUSE ME? WHAT GAVE IT THE RIGHT TO DO THIS TO MY HEART???

I'm sorry for this stream of conscious nonsense, but... I'm SHOOK. I went into this with reasonably high expectations, and it SHATTERED them. God, I just know I'm going to leave stuff out, and for that, I apologize, but I'm gonna do my best.

This is something really special. If I were to liken it to anything, it would be like Sailor Moon meets Game of Thrones meets The Witchlands series by Susan Dennard.

Also, forget Enemies to Lovers. This book. THIS BOOK! It has my favorite trope of all. Idiots to Lovers, which, in my humble opinion, is the infinitely superior trope. I was living my best life reading the words on these pages.

The characters were phenomenal, and I've said it once; I've said it 1,000 times. In this house, we love complex and flawed characters, but we also accept perfect characters too. There was no shortage of either, and I am so grateful for the interesting push and pull of everyone's dynamics.

Lunelle and Ameera have never done a god damned thing wrong in their whole lives, and I live for them.

NAYSAN??? BEST DAD EVER!
Ostera... Girl... I like you, but you are on thin fucking ice.
THE LUNAR ELF QUEEN.
Mirquios!!! What a good guy! I loved all the twists and turns with him, especially with *his* love interest. I'd say more, but spoilers... >:3
ALASTAIR
Oh!!! Also! Lmao poor Arcas just existing and trying his best. I see you, buddy. It'll be okay XD

Finally, Astra and Luxuros, chef's kiss, you perfect pair, you. I have not been this amped about a ship in YEARS. ***Chapter 30*** omg, like I knew, I did know *it* and even though I knew it and saw it coming. I did not care. That is the most angsty, delicious confession ever. I am forever grateful for their bickering, witty banter, protectiveness, NOT possessiveness over each other. I could not have asked for more.

Now, I am in AWE of the lore, world-building, magical system, and socioeconomic/political systems. It's such a cool, rich world.

I have one nitpicky criticism, which is that it was a bit clunky at times, especially in the beginning, but genuinely, it was not enough of an issue to hinder the book as a whole.

I cannot wait for the novella and the second book!!! I just wish this came in a physical copy, but I will happily settle with supporting the author and buy the digital copy as soon as it becomes available.

Exiled for her rebellious nature, Lunar demi-goddess Astra is forced back to court when a mysterious object is discovered, only to find her mother scheming to use her as a political pawn. Determined to seize control of her own fate, Astra strikes a marriage bargain with the Mercuryan King, though her entanglement with his infuriating commander, Luxuros, drags her into a web of secrets, celestial power and looming war. As buried betrayals resurface and the gods watch closely, Astra and Luxuros must navigate deadly politics and forbidden magic before their world is torn apart.

I devoured this book - I simply couldn’t put it down! It’s such a fun, easy read that had me hooked from the very beginning. The world-building, though a bit confusing at times (nothing I couldn’t piece together as the story unfolded), is brilliant. I absolutely loved that the characters are 30+, which isn’t something you often see in fantasy. And the magic? I adored how Astra sees emotions as colours - it made it so easy to understand what she was sensing.

Speaking of Astra, our FMC, she is a fantastic character. She never backs down and is always fighting for the ones she loves. Her development throughout the story is truly heartwarming. Luxuros, our MMC, is an absolute delight and such a tease! I loved their romance - the tension was palpable, and the way they tried (and failed miserably) to fight their feelings made the slow burn even more enjoyable.

I really enjoyed all the side characters too, as they added even more depth to the story, not to mention the engaging family dynamic. The cliffhanger at the end was a bit predictable but still satisfying, and I can’t wait for the next book!

Congratulations CB Woods, for this amazing debut!

Another great start to a new romantasy series! I really enjoyed these characters and this world. Looking forward to more!

3.5 stars

The first book in a series and the author’s debut novel, Rift tells the story of Astra, a rebellious Lunar Demi-Goddess and her determination to restore justice and equality in a universe run by greed and power.

The story takes place in a celestial setting which I found to be very unique. The magic system and powers of the characters were also components I hadn’t come across before. I probably would have liked and benefited from a little more detail in the world building, there was a lot of trying to figure things out along the way and that caused some frustration and reluctance to keep reading. It’s very obvious the author knows her world well, but it shouldn’t be assumed the reader can catch on as quick.

I loved the feminine rage and strong female characters (and of course the male characters.) Even though the characters were well and truly adults from the beginning of the story, they were well-developed.

The enemies to lovers trope was done well and my gosh, the slow burn was a true slow burn! So much angst and tension! And I loved the dreams! If you know, you know.

Overall, a good read that has everything from fantasy to romance to politics and war, not to mention a very unique setting and magic system, with a few plot twists thrown in. I would however recommend it go through another couple of editing sessions as there was a lot of parts that did not flow, seemed to jump and skip information etc also, while the story is written in third person, I got the impression it was once written in first person due to coming across “me” and “we” in the narrator’s section.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emrae Publishing for providing an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this story, once I got fully into it I couldn’t stop reading because I was so intrigued about the history, the characters, relationships, inter court politics and the enemy to lovers plot line. 



While I enjoyed the enemy to lovers plot, I did feel it wasn’t enemy enough for my liking. I wanted them to hate each other more, but that’s just my own personal preference and not a slight on the relationship with Astra and her beau! 



I did leave the book craving more, more information about the courts, more information about the gods, I definitely wanted more history than we get told about at the beginning of the book. I felt like there could have been more world building overall.

The thing I loved the most though were the characters! They literally jumped off the page and I ate every bit of snarky dialogue up! It left no crumbs, every relationship Astra has with her family, friends & love interests were dynamic, interesting and delightfully sarcastic. 


Overall, I liked the book. & I probably will read the second when it comes out, but I’m not about to camp out for it. 
I feel like it’s a great beginner fantasy read, easy to follow and plenty of twists and turns to keep the plot going without any lull.

Wow! The world building, the magic, the banter, the suspense! This book had everything I wanted. I devoured this story so quickly! I absolutely loved this story so much!!

Astra is an exiled fiery princess from the Lunar Court who has made a name for herself in the thriving village of Celene. After an urgent summons from her mother, the icy, detached Queen of the Lunar Court, Astra reluctantly makes her way back home after three years and is thrust into a whirlwind of political plots, a looming war with the Solan court, and is only uncovering more and more mysteries as she tries to uncover the truth about the past. Refusing to follow the predetermined path her mother has laid out for her, Astra ties herself to the King of Mercury in order to pave her own way. Although the Mercurian King surprises Astra by holding the same dreams of a free court, she can't get her mind off his looming Commander, Luxuros, a mysterious man with his own troubled past. Together, they embark on an epic journey to uncover the truth, overthrow the traditions of a long established system that takes advantage of its people, and discover love, identity, and that everything they thought they knew was a lie.

I don't even know where to begin with this stellar novel! I absolutely loved it and was pulled in from the very first page. This was such a refreshing read with original ideas and a world-building that I feel rivals some pretty big current authors like SJM and Jennifer Armentrout. CB Wood's writing is so immersive and dream-like I felt I was right there traversing the Rift with Astra and co. Her descriptions are tantalizing and her magic system is unique and new. Astra is also a very refreshing female lead, she is strong and passionate, but is also selfless and really cares about others. She is a very grounded, real character and I can seeing her being the next It Girl in romantasy.

I really have to give credit to the care with which this novel was written. I feel like nowadays it's really hard to find a romantasy that packs a punch and makes the characters and their world feel real and make sense. The slowburn was beautifully done, it wasn't cheesy, there was so much delicious tension and "will they/won't they", and the payoff was everything I wanted it to be as a reader. The plot is also so well thought-out and goes farther than expected. There were twists and turns and a surprising amount of layers that I wasn't expecting, but delighted to discover. I really appreciate that CB Woods wrote as a "show-er" and not a "tell-er". It was very satisfying to learn how the world worked just by being alongside Astra in her journey rather than just info-dumping. Probably my most favorite thing about her writing.

I also love the complexity of the relationships we see in this book. CB writes a compelling romance, but definitely just as important is the relationship we see between Astra and her mother, the bond between sisters, what truly makes family and that it is not always blood, and also the relationship Astra has with herself and her identity. I can't believe the depth we saw in all of these facets of relationships in just one novel, and it didn't feel rushed or bogged down because of it, but elevated the story even more.

I could really go on and on about everything I loved, but you'll just have to read it to see what I mean! If I had to give a critique (besides having to wait until 2026 for book 2!!) I did feel that at points the explanation of a few things were a little confusing, such as what is Astra actually doing when she is tampering down Solan heat, and I do wish there was more of a moment for Astra's character development where she is like "oh maybe I don't know everything" but honestly these are such minor things that didn't take away from the book at all.

Read this book if you love a truly well-written romantasy story with a fully fleshed out plot and immersive world building that will having you dying for more. This is for fans of slow-burn, political intrigue, adventure, mystery, and all the twists and turns along the way. I can't wait to purchase a physical copy when it comes out, and I'll be anxiously waiting for the sequel!

First let me say, what an interesting and fresh take on Romantasy. Rift has all the things you know and love in Romantasy; fated mates, magic, enemies to lovers. However, instead of elemental magic or dragons or fairies, this book centers around a celestial court system, where each court is a celestial body in the our solar system. Astra is a force to be reckoned with, as she champions change in the celestial courts by dismantling the oppression of the gods and royals, and pushes for equality amongst all people. The journey Astra goes on, with the lies and deceptions she uncovers, and the unlikely allies she makes she makes along the way, make Rift a worth while read.

What a wild ride!
This was enjoyable. I liked Astra's character. Of course I love Lux. Their chemistry was amazing. I even downloaded the bonus epilogue. The concept of the Tether intrigued me. Being pulled and bound to a person when everything in you screams for you to back away. Stolen glances. Gentle touches.
THE TENSION.. immaculate.
Found family was beautiful.
The celestial world I really liked. The different courts were interesting, though I wish we explored them more.
I'm interested to see what's in store for the next installment because I felt this one wrapped up pretty well.
notes:
I felt the worldbuilding could use a bit more development, especially in the beginning and toward the end. It almost was like being thrust into the world, with little to no backstory and reasoning. I just wanted a bit more about the consequences and favors of the magic system. That kind of led me to be confused, especially when the different courts were introduced. Also, there was a scene near the end where Astra recounts the events that her mother wasn't aware of to the Counsel. But in my opinion it was redundant, as she went on, and on about details we already knew about because we've gone through those scenes with her. In that scene, we could have just said "I told my mom everything" or something along those line and it would still make sense.

Astra is the rebellious younger daughter of the Lunar Court and she fit her part so well, running around doing her own thing and letting her sister Lunelle shoulder the responsibility. She’s not selfish though, she’s focused on positive change in her court. She and Lunelle are best friends and their relationship is written so well.
Luxuros is stubborn and tough on Astra but also easy to love.
I loved the cosmic setting of this world, with the planetary theme for the Courts and the Rift, the stream of travel used to go between courts.
The writing was good, straight forward, easy to read, but there was the odd bit here or there that felt a tiny bit out of place - it was written in 3rd person but from Astra’s POV and every so often there was a comment about what Lux was thinking or feeling. Not sure if it was intentional.
I liked the plot, this is a romantasy with so much more happening thanks to the political unrest in the courts. I feel like things made sense and flowed well.

I really enjoyed this - for some reason I wasn’t expecting it to be so politically motivated and I loved that extra layer! I am definitely going to be watching for the next instalment, Rift had an epic feel and I think things will only get bigger in book 2.

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me an ARC for this book via NetGalley!

Summary: this books follows a female character who has a gift of fire wielding as she discovers secrets about her court and her family, and makes new friendships along the way. This book details the inner and outer workings of courts, conflicts, and learning about yourself.

What I liked:
- I LOVE a strong FMC. Astra is broody, powerful, and very realistic
- there were plot twists that genuinely had me surprised
- the story is intricate, but not difficult to follow. All loose ends are tied by the end and it’s very satisfying
- the romance aspect is very refreshing and it’s so nice to see relationships that aren’t all fluff
- the characters are multi-dimensional. Every character is unique and vastly different to one another
- the LGBTQ+ representation is written in such a good way. The writing of those characters feels very genuine, and it doesn’t feel like a ‘token’, and as a bi female the representation is so important

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for the next one 👀

Rating: 5/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Rift by C.B. Woods is an immersive fantasy novel that hooked me with its intricate world-building, well-developed characters, and high-stakes tension. The story balances action, intrigue, and emotion in a way that kept me turning pages, eager to uncover the secrets of the Rift and its impact on the characters.

One of the novel’s strongest elements is its character development. The protagonists are flawed yet compelling, making their struggles and triumphs feel earned. I especially appreciated how Woods didn’t shy away from morally complex decisions, forcing the characters to grapple with difficult choices. This added depth and made the story feel more grounded despite its fantastical setting.

The pacing was well-executed, with moments of intense action balanced by quieter, character-driven scenes. The imagery was vivid, pulling me into the world with ease.

If I had one critique, it would be that certain plot points felt a little predictable, but that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. The themes of resilience, identity, and belonging resonated with me.

Overall, Rift was an engaging read that left me eager to explore more of Woods’ work. If you’re a fan of richly detailed fantasy with strong character arcs, this is definitely worth picking up.

I want to thank NetGalley, Emrae Publishing and CB Woods for an early copy of this book for review.

In general I really liked this book. It nearly had all the elements that I love in a fantasy book, although I might have liked some things to be explained in a more simple way because world building got to be confusing at times. It had a very slow start for me.

I loved reading the love story; the tension and the yearning was what I was missing in books lately. I actually didn’t get the reason why they couldn’t be together, maybe it’s because the reason for their separation wasn’t significant enough for me.

The courts and celestial themes were engaging. I always love a good court politic.

I was afraid that it was going to end on a big cliffhanger but I’m happy that it didn’t. The book still makes you want to pick up the rest.
I overall liked Astra and her decisions and the things that she stands for. The magic system is quite appealing. I also would’ve liked to see more dragons.
If you like enemies to lovers, dragons, yearning, marriage of convenience you should give this one a chance.

Cheers to my first #ARC!! Thank you @netgalley, Emrae Publishing, and and @cbwoodsbooks for a stellar read 🤩

"Sun and Moon, bound by fate, broken by blood."

If you like celestial courts and political intrigue with engaging characters, this is for you!

The FMC, Astra, is a Lunar demi-goddess who has been exiled due to her unruly magic. Now on the brink of war with the Solar Court, Astra strikes a deal to wed the King of Mercury in order to better her alliances with both the human courts and her people who are struggling for resources across her homeland in the Lunar Court. As they navigate their courtship and attempt to gain allies among the planets/planes, Astra becomes intertwined with the King's commander, Luxuros (helloooo MMC!!). Together, they untangle secrets, lies, and betrayals that change the course of history.

This took me a bit to get into, but once I hit about 20%, I was hooked! I truly loved each main character and enjoyed watching them grow from beginning to end. The conclusion was complex, but the author did an amazing job of tying up each loose end while still keeping me reeled in for the next one!

Tropes include: tethered/fated mates, court politics, celestial world building, gods and goddesses, warring realms, twists and turns, betrayals, strong FMCs

Before I dive in, I want to thank NetGalley, Emrae Publishing and CB Woods for an early copy of this book for review.

When I first read the synopsis for this story, I was hooked. Fated pairs? Enemies to lovers? An abundance of lunar settings and imagery? Dragons? Give. It. To. Me.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this story. The setting was stunning. From the waves of the sea to the towering buildings on Mercury. It’s easy to fall in love with the world as the author describes palaces, hot springs, and even dreams.

The world building was also impressive. I loved that Astra can see people's emotions, color coordinating them in a simple way for the audience to understand. The rift itself was immersive and a great detail to add that sets it apart from so many other fantasy novels. The telepathic conversations. How Tethers work. The court systems and how they weave into the fabric of above and below. It’s all a fascinating aspect to the world that Astra lives in. I can also appreciate that Lux wasn’t some dark haired, shadow wielding, winged zaddy with tattoos. (5 stars in my opinion.)

The family relationship was interesting to explore. The sisterly love, the issues with Astra’s mother, the relationships of the past and how they impacted the family years later was a great aspect, too. It was one of the things I was eager to inspect as the story went on.

However, some of the story left me wanting more. For instance, and trying to avoid spoilers here, there’s a part where Astra’s dragon is injured. After that, we never hear about him again. Throughout the entire story, she only rides him two or three times. Although dragons do not play a huge part in this story, I always want to see more of them. Especially if Astra is kind of rare for riding a dragon.

A few of the scenes play out quickly. One moment in a chapter, characters are in one room then jump to another. Not a huge deal, since readers should be able to read between the lines, but a little more clarification would be nice in future books.

One major instance that annoyed me was the constant use of names and/or nicknames in a conversation. I had to read “Astra” and “As” so many times I started to roll my eyes whenever someone mentioned her. It took place even when there were only two characters speaking to each other. I can appreciate a cute nickname now and again, but there were so many abbreviated names I started to get aggravated.

Unfortunately, I felt like the last few chapters went on a little too long. One chapter was a long flashback of everything that happened with little to no insight from anyone else’s point of view. A tad bit of info dumping that had my head spinning trying to take in so much more information. It could have been a little flushed out but it didn’t make me hate the book.

All in all, I was really fond of this story. Give me anything that has any sort of resemblance to Sailor Moon, and I’m a pile of putty in the author's hands. I loved the slow burn here too, how it wasn’t some sort of insta-lust that made the main characters suddenly change. The world is gorgeous, the characters are interesting, and the ending definitely leaves you wanting for a second book.

3.5 ⭐

Rift is a fun and unique take on the romantasy set in courts genre. Our heroine, Astra, is a fierce princess with fire in her veins and a vision for a better future facing off against her mother’s indifference, disappointment and expectations. On her birthday she finds herself thrown back into court life, courtship, impending war and a mysterious commander determined to drive her crazy. Lux and As offer a simmering chemistry and an engaging level of banter as they navigate a world or gods, royalty, rebellion, family and love.

The story was very engaging, I found the writing a tad unclear at times but not distracting enough from the plot and the chemistry. I will definitely be checking out the second book in this series when I have the opportunity.

This book snuck up on me. I almost DNF’d it around the 10-15% mark because I was having so much trouble getting into it. It was a bit slow to start.

But once it started getting into the relationships is where I felt that the story really found its strength. The main relationship (Astra and Lux) was delicious and angsty, it hit especially hard starting around the 50% mark

The world and courts were really intriguing, but some world building and powers were a tiny bit lacking (not fully fleshed out, sorta halfway explained). For a debut story, however, I was blown away!

But once we were eased into the world, I fell in love with the Solar courts and their rulers. Can’t wait for the sequel!

Read if you love:
Fated mates
Inter-court intrigue
Let’s get the gang together to piss off some powerful beings

Rift is a beautifully written fantasy novel with an intricate, well-crafted storyline that kept me hooked from beginning to end. This book stands out with its nuanced world-building, compelling plot, and brilliantly developed characters—especially the fierce and capable female main character, Astra, who is refreshingly over 30!

The story follows Astra, a Demi-Goddess who dreams of a world where title and rank mean nothing. Exiled for her fiery tendencies and unpopular politics, she’s spent the last few years far from the court’s suffocating expectations. But when an ancient threat reemerges, she is forced to return to the life she tried to leave behind. With reluctant allies and enemies at every turn, she must navigate treacherous politics, uncover long-buried secrets, and decide where her heart truly belongs. As tensions rise and secrets unravel, Astra finds herself in an unexpected alliance.

The slow-burn romance is wonderfully done, embodying the “reluctant allies to lovers” trope in a way that feels organic and deeply satisfying.

The cast of multidimensional characters all bring something special to the narrative.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were a few moments that felt a bit drawn out and the world was a little confusing to get my head around, which is why I landed on a solid 4-star rating.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC copy—I can’t wait to see what C.B. Woods writes next!

What a fantastic read! The world building is incredible and so detailed. The celestial world is unlike anything I’ve read in romantasy books before. Starts off slow but once it gets into it, it’s incredible and I hated having to put it down. The court politics, all the secrets and the slowwww burn enemies to lovers, the tension 🔥 I loved that the focus wasn’t just on the main FMC, that we got to see so much of the other characters too.
I can’t wait for the next book to continue the story!!

Thank you to NetGalley and CB Woods for ancebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Had a great time with this read! It did take a bit for me to get fully invested in it since it was a bit confusing for me in the beginning, but once that passed I really was into it. Loveeee the enemies to lovers in this, and appreciated the slow burn.