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.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Emrae Publishing and CB Woods for the ARC copy of this book.

What a refreshing, original, well-written book. Rift is a slow-burn, mildly spicy romantasy featuring Astra as our FMC, who is a princess and second-daughter to the king and queen of her kingdom. As the book progresses, we learn Astra is far more than she appears, and are plunged into complex and well-done world building with high stakes and emotional twists and turns. The magic system is original and it's more than just your standard war between Faerie courts series.

Rift is so well written. Refreshingly well written. I also loved having an FMC who isn't 18-22 and has lived a few years, with a more nuanced perspective on life. Her relationships with her family and friends felt real, and the slow burn between her and the FMC is full of enemies-to-lovers/fated mates tropes done very well. Our FMC is down bad in a real way, but he doesn't lose his sense of self and remains the same type of person he's initially introduced to us as.

Highly recommend this book - can't wait to read the second when it comes out.

The Rift is the first book in a Romantic Fantasy series full of magic, forbidden relationships, plot twists and amazing main characters, I already miss Astra and Lux and am excited for book 2!

Astra is a rebellious princess of Lunar Court and when, after 3 years of exile, she is summoned to court because of the threat of war, the last thing she wants to do is to get married for her mother’s political games. She agrees to a marriage of convenience with a Mercury King, but the longer she is home the more she realizes that everything she thought she knew about the courts, the gods and even her own family might be a lie and she needs to decide who she can trust and what is best for her people while trying not to fall for her betrothed’s commander who is supposed to be her enemy but she can’t ignore their growing feelings for each other.

I loved the world building in this book which is based on the solar system, all the courts, kings and queens, gods and goddesses and their politics were written in such a fascinating way I couldn’t get enough of it. The plot was perfectly paced, after a few chapters I was fully immersed in this fascinating world and all the plot twists had me on the edge of my seat. Astra was a great FMC and I loved reading her story and seeing how much she grew in this book, she was really strong and clever and my favorite kind of heroine. Lux is the kind of mysterious MMC I always love in romantasy books and I enjoyed discovering his secrets (even those he didn’t know himself), I can’t wait to see him deal with everything that happened at the end in book 2. Astra and Lux had an amazing slow burn enemies to lovers relationship and OMG the fated mates trope combined with forbidden love is one of my favorites and the author wrote it so well here, I absolutely loved reading about these two and I’m sure when this series is complete they are going to be one of my favorite bookish couples, I can’t wait to see how their story will unfold.

The Rift is an incredible Romantasy book that I’m sure everyone who enjoys this genre is going to love as much as I did. And I really appreciate that it doesn’t end on a big cliffhanger, the ending still makes you want to read the next book soon, but I can wait a bit and I already know it’s going to be as amazing as this one!

This book, the first in a new series, is about the courts of the planets and then the gods above.
Astra is a daughter in the lunar court but is a fire wielder. Her sister aligns with her mother and will become the next lunar queen. Astra, as the second daughter, is going to be matched with another for alliance in another court. However an unexpected love match unfolds while other events with equally big repercussions occur.

It was a bit confusing in the beginning to understand who is connected to whom, and everyone’s names, and any issues in the past. They also incorporate a lot of stuff about colors being emotion. Ultimately I did become intrigued by the story and the twists. My main complaint is the love story is basically told in the book summary… some of that could easily be kept a surprise so you weren’t waiting for it to happen at every turn.

Looking forward to the sequel nonetheless.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Demi-god Astra is summoned home to the Lunar Court by her mother after she was exiled for the last 3 years. She is thrown back into court politics and is fighting for equality. This story explores complex family dynamics and I loved every bit of it. It made me wish I had a sister to be so loyal to.

I like how the characters are in their 30s. It feels like a breath of fresh air compared to the younger characters in other romantasy novels. I absolutely love the celestial world. It feels so magical to read.

I find Astra to be so relatable and love her character. She is so strong for being misunderstood her whole life. Watching her grow and use her magic was so fun to read. I loved the banter between her and Luxuros. The tension between the two was so good.

The rebellion was my favorite part. I loved getting little snippets of what they were fighting to build and the ending was SO good. I think this needs another round of editing, there’s a few typos and some parts are over explained. Overall the story was amazing and I loved this. I can’t wait for the next one!


You’ll like this if you like
*Dragons
*Celestial themes
*Slow burn
*Strong FMC
*Fated mates
*He trains her

Rift is a captivating blend of romantic fantasy and high-stakes political intrigue, perfect for readers who revel in stories of fated mates, powerful court dynamics, and gods who play with the threads of fate. From its first page, this novel transports you into a world where loyalty is as fickle as the shifting celestial bodies and where the weight of the crown could be both a symbol of power and a dangerous burden.

The protagonist, Astra, is a complex and intriguing character who embodies the struggle between duty and self-determination. As a Lunar demi-goddess exiled from the oppressive royal court, Astra is a fierce and independent soul, haunted by the expectations that come with her bloodline. She dreams of freedom—a future untethered by titles and rank—and her fiery nature and strong will immediately set her apart from the stereotypical princess. Yet, this very defiance makes her a target for the political machinations of her mother, the queen, who sees Astra as little more than a pawn to solidify alliances.

The pacing of Astra’s reluctant return to the court after an object of great significance is discovered is expertly done, blending intrigue and tension. The stakes escalate quickly as Astra finds herself tied to the charming but rebellious King of Mercury in a strategic marriage meant to secure her loyalty. However, her true entanglement comes through her interaction with Luxuros, the king's haughty yet magnetic commander. Their dynamic is filled with the right amount of tension—romantic and otherwise—keeping the reader constantly questioning whether they can trust each other or if betrayal lies around every corner.
Luxuros, with his enigmatic secrets and growing connection to Astra, is an excellent foil to her character. Their relationship is built on mutual distrust, but the chemistry between them is undeniable, and their partnership evolves into something much deeper as they uncover long-buried family betrayals and face threats from both human and divine forces. This slow-burn romance is both thrilling and heartbreaking, as Astra and Luxuros struggle with their respective duties and growing feelings for one another.
The world-building in "Astra's Oath" is a highlight. The realms between the Lunar, Solar, and human courts feel richly developed, with the gods' influence looming like a dark cloud, ever-watchful and ever-plotting. The tension between these realms—each with its own power dynamics and historical grudges—creates a palpable sense of danger that never lets up. Astra's journey of self-discovery is intertwined with uncovering the truth behind the gods' crumbling control and the legacy of betrayal that haunts her family. It’s a world where everyone has their own agenda, and Astra must navigate it with both caution and courage.

What truly elevates the novel is its exploration of power, sacrifice, and identity. Astra’s internal struggle between fulfilling her duty to her bloodline and carving out her own future is compelling. Her desire to protect the people she loves, even at great personal cost, makes her an incredibly sympathetic character. The novel does an excellent job of showing how the ties that bind us—whether by blood, duty, or love—can be both empowering and destructive.
The threat of war that looms over the plot adds a sense of urgency and tension, and the final act sets the stage for a high-stakes battle where allegiances will be tested, and secrets will be revealed. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and readers will find themselves on the edge of their seats as Astra and Luxuros face both external and internal conflicts that could change the course of their world.

In conclusion, Rift is a thrilling, romantic fantasy that blends political intrigue, forbidden power, and a slow-burn romance against the backdrop of celestial warfare. The strong, multifaceted characters, intricate world-building, and ever-present tension between duty and desire will appeal to fans of high fantasy and courtly drama. Astra’s journey toward embracing her legacy, and her evolving relationship with Luxuros, will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment in this unforgettable series.

I loved this book so much. I am thankful to have been given an opportunity to read it and I absolutely can not wait for the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley, CB Woods and Emrae publishing for the early e-arc!

I thought I was going to dnf at 10-15% but then I got totally sucked in and read half the book in one night and finished in 2🙊

✨Celestial courts rife with political intrigue and on the brink of war, feisty royals with secret agendas, curious magic and a soul tugging tension between an exiled princess and an arrogant commander. The banter, the sweet moments and a little bit of cheesiness made for an enjoyable read ☺️

A heartwarming ending to book 1 of The Courts Between series 😊

I literally have no words - my heart is so full of emotions right now. When I started this book I didn’t know how I’d feel but the more and more I read, I honestly became obsessed! I honestly couldn’t put it down and when I did I was just WAITING until I could pick it up again. The story of As & Lux is a brilliant one and I cannot wait for the second book! There’s action, sadness, romance, and everything in between! It started out a bit slow in the beginning but the pick up was 100% worth it! I’m a huge sucker for a love story and this didn’t disappoint. I’m really intrigued to learn more and visit more Courts as well as learn more about Lux’s family history. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC that I didn’t know I needed in my life!

#Rift #NetGalley

Wow talk about jumping into the rift and falling in love. I enjoyed reading this book so much. I’m so grateful for the eARC but now I’m burning for more! If you are a fan of court scheming, political intrigue, unique magic systems, fake relationships, enemies to lovers, and fated mates this book is for you. The plot was so good and the characters developed beautifully, especially Astra and Lux.

I really enjoyed this story about Astra, a princess/demigoddess in the Lunar Court who has been exiled for using her fire powers, an action her mother, the Queen, has banned from her court. Astra dreams of a better world, one built upon community and equality, as opposed to being born of privilege and wealth, and her story here begins when her mother forces Astra to return to court, which begins an unraveling of mysteries several decades in the making. Many favorite tropes are here, including (not quite) enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, one bed and forbidden romance. The magical system here is fresh and unique, and the world building complex.

My one critique of the book is in that world building, actually, in that while it has been richly woven, the delivery is oftentimes excessively complicated, which left me scratching my head at times. I’m hoping some of those holes will be patched up in the next book(s) as well. Regardless, I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing and Author CB Woods for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Rift.

Honestly, I could not put this book down. I was interested by the first page and the magic system unraveling before me kept me entrapped. The descriptions throughout the book easily transported my imagination to vividly see the world and the characters as they went along their journey.

The story's point of view really worked to benefit the reader for a deeper understanding of the story and the characters.

If this book was double in size I would have stayed in the world, but alas I must wait patiently for the others in the series.

“Sun and Moon, bound by Fate, broken by blood.”

Astra dreams of a better world where there are no monarchies and titles. As a Demi-goddess and a princess of the Lunar Court, she is determined to try and convince her mother to make these changes. After being exiled for a few years after an incident involving her fire magic her mother has called her back because the courts are about to go to war. After coming home Astra ends up in a marriage of convenience to help her court and her dreams of a better world, an unexpected tether, and realizing everything she has been told growing up is wrong.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The world-building was pretty easy to follow and I enjoyed the characters and seeing their development throughout the book. One thing that I wish there was more of is descriptions of the world as I struggled to picture some parts of it. If you like marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, tension, celestial-themed worlds, magic, and dragons you should definitely check this book out.

thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!
this book has the famous enemies-to-lovers trope and, let me tell you, it did not disappoint!
the book starts when the exiled princess Astra is called back to her mother's kingdom in order to perform her awaiting duties. after that, the chaos begins: a marriage of convenience, a grumpy hottie, an unexpected tether, war, adventure and so on.
i loved the plot, but i think it lacked some information regarding the lore. i expected more explanations to be honest because i had a hard time keeping up with everything. and, when i was under the impression that i understood what's happening, new things were coming up. do not get me wrong, it was interesting and original all in all!
the characters' development was respected, though, and i got attached to them. one thing i want to point out is that i think Ameera was a bit forgotten in the background. it felt that she was showing up only for her presence to be there and to carry trays to Astra's room, that was all. wish i could learn more about her and her affairs (wink) because she showed up in many important scenes.
finally, the smut was spot on!! props for that, hehe.
thank you again for the opportunity to read this book and i'm looking forward to the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley for an Arc copy of this story. The following is an honest review.

Astra is a princess in exile. After a heated instance that caused her powers to burn hot she’s landed herself far away from the Lunar court. Astra has made a satisfying life for herself and isn’t unhappy to be away from stifling court duties. She was never one to uphold the inequitable ways of monarch life.
When an unwelcome summons forces her hand she must head back to the Lunar Court.

Rift has a unique feel to many aspects of the story!

One of the biggest appeals was the fascinating magic capabilities of Astra herself. The capabilities of an empath brought to life as a true power, instead of the burden it’s often painted as! It was empowering to see that empathy is a gift, if you can learn the necessary skills to use the colors presented to you!

The celestial settings, and the idea that many magical deities exist in a between space, allowed for a beautiful landscape, I loved that.

I absolutely adored the ups and downs of the mother daughter relationships that were depicted. So many mothers make silent sacrifices, that will never see the light of day!

There were so many interesting side characters, with a lot of stories that could be fun to dive into!

The main romantic relationship of the story has a major hang up that keeps it coming to fruition. This hang up feels thin. Like the weight given to the cause for them not to be together is unfounded. Basically, political propaganda keeps a wedge between them. The stakes didn’t feel like enough to warrant them being apart, for me. I don’t hold stake in something someone else tells me to believe. To Astra’s credit, she didn’t hold onto the notion much either.

The pacing of the story didn’t feel steady. More often than not, I was waiting for something of weight to happen, especially in the beginning of the book. This is definitely a slow to start type of story. Things pick up at the end, but it was a struggle to get into.

I felt lost when it came to the transitions of character’s movements within the book. One moment a character is in one location in a room and there’s no indication that they’ve moved. The next sentence has them not in a chair, but where they’d have to be in a bed. I found myself going back over paragraphs more than once to see what I missed. As a visual reader it through me off. A few POV issues did as well.

Overall this is an enjoyable Romantasy with plus sized bi representation! We can never have enough of that! If you’re into celestial vibes and have a rebel spirit you’ll enjoy this book!

Thank you CB WOODS, Emrae publishing & NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this e-arc.

The Rift followed the popular tropes of arranged marriages, enemies to lovers, and several others. It was a fun and easy read. I think it was easier to understand from a “witchy” perspective of knowing the lunar, solar type names, knowing where the names originated from.

Following Astra, Lux, Mirquios, and Lunelle on their adventure of finding that life may not be exactly as it seems was a fun trip. They questioned everything they were taught and eventually came across the age old thought every adult ponders is beliefs and whether what they’ve been taught is right (or not) and why.

For me, it was a very easy read & it sucked me in from page one. I love that Astra was the essential black sheep of her family, the non-conformist. As I relate (also being the black sheep IRL) it was just an enjoyable book for me. I couldn’t put it down, so I read it in one day. It was the perfect fantasy read, for me. The world building was elaborate. While some of it felt familiar because it’s been done before, other parts were very original and fresh feeling.

This is a fun, easy read that makes you think but isn’t super heavy. I think we can all relate to their experiences, no matter what our walk in life happens to be. It did have some mild love scenes but mostly left to imagination. So I’m going to call it pretty smut-free. I believe this was geared towards adults but I think anyone above the age of 16 would enjoy it. It had a tiny bit of cursing, but compared to most fantasy, I think it was fairly mild.

Let me start by saying this book that I was approved by netgalley as an arc and it’s one I really wanted to read. This book did not disappoint. The characters were really good and the plot made you wonder what was next. I love the journey the FMC goes through and how there was so much to learn and discover on her way. Little did she know that not only did she find herself on the path to not just save her family but her people. It’s a book of the start of a huge change needed in a world of lies and the addiction of power. The importance of not being selfish and choosing the path that might not be the easiest but the right one. The pace of the book was good and I love her relationship with the male love interest. The ending wasn’t what how I thought it would end but it leaves the book off leading to the next part of her journey. I’m looking forward to it.

i love astra so much, she's such a badass. loved the slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, so nothing felt too rushed. my only problem is that i feel like the writing can be a lil confusing at times, especially in the beginning. but once you get through it, it gets better.

⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An exiled princess, lunar magic and courts, kingdoms on the brink of war, and a marriage of convenience. And, of course, enemies to lovers. The SUPERIOR trope. I will take ZERO argument on that. All things that sound like so much fun in a fantasy and instantly make you want to read it.

I did like this book, but I just could not get that invested for some reason. In the actual storylines or the characters. And I do not know why.

You do get lots of background and development on these characters' relationships, which I really enjoyed. I just think maybe the pacing is what made this not perfect for me. You're kind of just thrown into the story at the very beginning and I think that's something I struggle with, I need a tad more explanation first, before getting into the thick of it.

This was still a very fun read and I would definitely recommend it if any of those things I listed at the very beginning interest you. Especially the celestial-inspired kingdoms! So cool!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

What an amazing read!
We begin by meeting Astra, a Lunar Demigoddess Princess, as she’s hung called back home by her mother the Queen of the Lunar Court. After living in exile for the last few years, Astra feels like an outsider within her own court, often dreaming & pushing for a better world for her people. It’s these feelings that spark her to engage in a deal with the King of Mercury & bring us deeper into the politics of her world as Astra & her friends work to dismantle all that they know at the risk of angering the Gods.
This story is not without romance, in fact it’s full of it! The romance was so beautiful & well written. It was intense & you could really feel the yearning.
Aside from romance, the relationships between all of the side characters were amazing as well! Everyone seemed well fleshed out & played an important role in furthering the story in some way.

I also really enjoyed the ending, the author did a great job tying up enough loose ends to have a satisfying ending without a cliff hanger, but with still plenty more to tell! I can’t wait for the next book!