I rated this final book in the Nightfire Quartet series 4.5⭐ rounded up!

I loved the conclusion of Zarya and Rabin's story.
The character development continues.
The relationships are spicy.
The plot twists are ravenous.

Most of all, I absolutely love supporting Nisha as a Canadian Author, and I thank her and NetGalley for this ARC.

I would hands down recommend this series to any Romantasy Lovers!

I truly love everything Nisha J. Tuli writes, and this series is so bingeable and fast paced. The characters are so easy to root for and Nisha crafted them with so much love and detail that they feel like real people. Seeing them fighting for their own bit of happy had me feeling ALLLLL the feelings. I'm so sad to see this series ending, these characters have a place in my heart. The ending felt a little abrupt but maybe that's just because I wasn't ready for it to be over. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

“I’ll try. But if I don’t, just know how much I love you, Yas. Thank you for being my first best friend.”

This was the perfect thrilling conclusion to the Nightfire quartet, a fastpaced fantasy that had it all, slow burn, betrayal, sacrifice, devastating choices, and of course, love. Romantic love, yes but also deep, true love between friends and chosen family. So much so that you are floored by the extent.
Yasen is still my absolute favourite character. I loved seeing his relationship develop with Miraan, going beyond their differences in class.

I was so proud of Zarya for all she accomplished however that being said, can I also say how annoyed I was with her for being so blindly trusting? That for all her strength of will and compassion, she allowed herself to be used for a time? How she would accept the most inadequate excuse? It’s a tribute to Nisha’s writing that you come to realise that despite having largely come to terms with the trauma from her life, that she has not fully healed and is desperately seeking approval.

I do love the evolutionof her relationship with Row and how this further develops into something of beauty, something to be cherished and she realises how much he had cared for her, even when it didn’t seem like he did.

Overall, a satisfying close to a series that was an exceptional world with a fascinating magic system and characters who remain in your heart long after you close the book.

“I’ll try. But if I don’t, just know how much I love you, Yas. Thank you for being my first best friend.”

This was the perfect thrilling conclusion to the Nightfire quartet, a fastpaced fantasy that had it all, slow burn, betrayal, sacrifice, devastating choices, and of course, love. Romantic love, yes but also deep, true love between friends and chosen family. So much so that you are floored by the extent.
Yasen is still my absolute favourite character. I loved seeing his relationship develop with Miraan, going beyond their differences in class.

I was so proud of Zarya for all she accomplished however that being said, can I also say how annoyed I was with her for being so blindly trusting? That for all her strength of will and compassion, she allowed herself to be used for a time? How she would accept the most inadequate excuse? It’s a tribute to Nisha’s writing that you come to realise that despite having largely come to terms with the trauma from her life, that she has not fully healed and is desperately seeking approval.

I do love the evolutionof her relationship with Row and how this further develops into something of beauty, something to be cherished and she realises how much he had cared for her, even when it didn’t seem like he did.

Overall, a satisfying close to a series that was an exceptional world with a fascinating magic system and characters who remain in your heart long after you close the book.

I was not prepared for this series to end. I have absolutely loved getting lost in the magical world! This installment was a little bit slower at the beginning, but picked up the pace. Rabin and Zarya continued to be absolutely perfect together despite so many forces trying to keep them apart. I loved getting to see more of some of my favorite side characters like Yasen, Miraan, and Row. There were some very well done plot twists and I wasn't sure if we would get a happy ending or not at a few points. It feels bittersweet that this amazing series has come to a conclusion, but it ended perfectly.

Thank you to Second Sky and NetGalley for the ARC!

An Anticlimactic Farewell to Zarya and Rabin

First of all, I’d like to express my gratitude towards Netgalley, Second Sky and Nisha J. Tuli for generously providing me with a free advanced reader copy. This review is entirely voluntary, and I want to emphasize that it truly reflects my genuine emotions and thoughts about the story.

Star rating ⭐⭐⭐ Spice rating 🌶️🌶️🌶️(½)

“Queen of Shadows and Ruin” delivers a somewhat lackluster conclusion to the series for me. The story starts off slowly, and while certain key moments deserved more depth and development, they felt rushed, especially the ending. After so much buildup in the third and final book, the resolution felt like an afterthought, neatly wrapped up but lacking the weight it deserved. With the third book centering on freeing the Vanshaj, building a rebellion, and the prophecy, and the final book focusing on strength and fulfilling the prophecy, the ending of the series ultimately felt anticlimactic.

Over the course of four books, Zarya has grown into a strong woman, but I still found her frustratingly naive and overly trusting at times especially when it came to her biological father. When both the person who raised you and your own mother warn you about someone, you’d think that would warrant more caution. Additionally, the way Zarya and Rabin seemed completely oblivious to the bond “weakening” the moment they arrived in Andhera didn’t feel realistic. Trusting so easily, despite all the warnings and instincts, it made them seem more foolish than fierce even though it was for the plot.

That said, I still enjoyed the overall story and Zarya and Rabin’s journey. I think the author masterfully created a rich world infused with Indian mythology and culture, which I absolutely loved exploring.I would have loved to see more of Zarya and Rabin’s future together, but perhaps that’s just me being greedy. Despite my mixed feelings on this finale, I’m still looking forward to exploring the author’s other series and works.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Queen of Shadows and Ruin
Author: Nisha J. Tuli

Thank you so much Second Sky for this copy of the amazing finale of a wonderful series! Zarya and Rabin’s story continues. Meeting her father at last, Zarya is extremely wary. Rabin has assured her it is fine, and her father means well, but even he has a strange feeling crawling under his skin as soon as they arrive. Also they are hiding their relationship from her father… what is really going on here? However Zarya is willing to do whatever it takes to save her home, even if it means taking a chance and putting her trust in something she is wary about. This book was an amazing conclusion to this beautiful quartet. My favorite series of Nishas to date, it is so underrated and needs to be more known!! I’m so sad it’s over. Nisha always wraps up her series with a perfect bow.. like a cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. Rabin is my absolute favorite MC! 🥵. Please do me a favor and read this now if you are looking for a new romantasy,

5⭐

Thank you @netgalley for this #ARC.

This book delivered an absolutely stunning conclusion to the Nightfire Quartet! I'm still reeling from it. This book was a masterpiece, seamlessly blending everything I love in a fantasy romance.

This book picks right up from the end of #3. Zarya journeys to meet her mysterious father, Raja Abishek. As she works to continue spreading the rebellion, unknown threats are gathering. Her relationships are tested, and she must decide who to trust as ancient magic threatens to shatter everything.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The pacing was perfect, keeping me completely engrossed. The suspense and twists, as Zarya navigated treacherous alliances and ancient prophecies, were expertly woven into the narrative, providing constant surprises. But it wasn't just the plot that captivated me. The character development was phenomenal. Zarya's journey was powerful and emotional, and I loved seeing her grow and evolve as she faced her destiny. But also Yasen, my boy, oh man. He may be a side character but that makes it even more amazing the growth we see here.

And let's talk about the spice! Tuli delivered those moments with perfect heat, adding another layer of depth to the relationships. The blend of romance and intense fantasy action, as Zarya fought for her kingdom and her heart, was flawlessly executed.

This was everything a conclusion to a series should be. It's a thrilling adventure, a heartfelt romance, and a deeply emotional story all rolled into one. I am sad to say goodbye to these characters and praying Yasen gets his own series!

Spice 4/5
Plot 5/5
Pace 5/5
Character Personality 5/5
Character Growth 5/5
Writing Style 5/5
World Building 5/5

Queen of Shadows and Ruin is the fourth and final book in The Nightfire Quartet and closes the series out with quite a bang. This series must be read in order as each picks up where they left off. I was so excited to start this book and it grabbed me from the get go and just kept going. Like every book in this series this one also had me snacking along with the book as all the food mentioned made me so hungry I ate so many samosas! I loved how in this book we got to see the cast of characters and the different areas of the world visited on previous books again. If you want a wonderful fantasy romance this is a great completed series to pick up.

Nisha J. Tuli is an auto-buy, auto-read author for me and this series is fantastic. I have ARC read 3 books in this series and each one has been an incredible journey. Rabin? RABIN? Do I need to say more? The chemistry between him and Zarya is top tier and honestly, Nisha write tension between characters like it's nobody's business.

Thank you so much for the continued opportunity to ARC read for AMAZING authors like Nisha!

This series has me hooked. Especially this book. Thia ending worked so beautifully.

The characters are layered with their unique traits. The world is full of details that I as the rewader want to hear about more and more. The plot twists forced me to finish this book asap.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an epic fantasy series with romance.

Includes:
Romance
Dragon shifter
Intriguing magic system
Tattoos
War

4.5 stars

I can't believe this series has already come to an end. The Nightfire Quartet quickly found its way into my heart as one of my favourite series, and Queen of Shadows and Ruin delivers a pretty decent conclusion. The story pretty much picks up from where we left off, as we see Zarya and Rabin travelling to the kingdom of Andhera and meeting Zarya's father, even as deadly armies are hunting them and their friends.

I was suspicious of Raja Abhishek from the get-go. He just seemed like he was always keeping a secret, and something about his behaviour was triggering alarm bells in my head. That's why I was side-eyeing Zarya and Rabin and how quickly they trusted him, though I understand why they did. The book also brings together different plot threads from the previous books in the series and gives us even more lore about the world. I'm sure there is a ton of foreshadowing that I didn't notice, so I'm definitely going to try and reread the series to catch everything I've missed. The pacing starts off slow, but feels like the calm before a storm. And when it picks up, it picks up.

I've always liked how the battle scenes have been done in this series, and the one in this book was no different. They're fast-paced, full of action, and always keep you on your toes. Zarya has always been a badass, and in this book she really shines through. She really comes into her own with her magic, and shows such incredible bravery throughout. When you think back to where we first met her, and her at the end of this book, Zarya's character arc feels very well rounded and complete. She's changed a lot, of course, but at the heart of it, she is still who she used to be.

Of course, her romance with Rabin was delicious and the spice was sooo good. Their chemistry has only grown throughout the series, and this particular book shows them dealing with all these difficult challenges together. Honestly, this two are so good for each other and I'm so glad they get a happy ending.

I did think the last few chapters, including the climax, got resolved a little too quickly and I would have loved a slightly longer battle scene. But honestly, I did really like this book a lot, especially the ending. It feels like every character got what they truly deserved, and all plot threads from the previous books were neatly wrapped up.

Queen of Shadows and Ruin delivers a thrilling conclusion to what has been a really incredible quartet of books. Thank you Nisha J Tuli for blessing with your incredible writing and giving us this masterpiece of a desi fantasy series!

I didn’t think Nisha could outdo the ending of The Artefacts of Ouranos, but this finale absolutely delivered. I was nervous because I’ve loved this series so much, but it wrapped up beautifully—raising the stakes higher than ever while making the romance even sweeter. I devoured every page and already can’t wait for whatever she writes next.

Carissa Broadbent, Danielle Jensen, and Nisha Tuli have officially become must-read authors for me!

This is coming a little late I apologize, but it did take me awhile to finish. With the previous books in the series I found myself truly enraptured in the story, and in this last book I didn't have quite the same experience. This book still has all the action, plot twists, magic, Nisha writes multiple POVs incredibly well! I love these characters so much, and it's crazy to think that the series is over because HOW DO YOU SAY GOODBYE?! Overall very solid ending to an epic series! I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone!

What can I say about this series? I have been absolutely living in this world since book one! Tuli has created one of the best romantasy stories of the time and I will be rereading it again and again.

I have absolutely loved the first three books in the NightFire Quartet but this book was a disappointment.

Nothing really happens until the 50-60% point. I almost DNF’ed this book twice but pushed through because I have loved the series up to this point.

The second half of the book made up for the slow first half. I honestly think the first half could have been shorter and we could have gotten more of the battle and aftermath. This could have been 5 star if we only got the second half.
1 like

Queen of Shadow and Ruin is the conclusion to the Nightfire Quartet focused in Indian/Asian mythology. Zarya is prophesized to be the one to free them all. With her found family, she has defended against the dark and started a revolution. Now it is time to bring the story to a close and figure out what it means really means to free them all.

Zarya is wanted in multiple lands now. In hiding from her murderous sister she has gone to the one place Rowe, the man who raised her, always warned her would mean her death. In this conclusion to the story, she will need to face her father and determine if he really is the bogey man she was raised to believe in or if he is just a father who was denied a relationship with his daughter. Rabin, the love of Zarya’s life and husband, believes in her father and is sure she will be safe; it is only because of his trust that she is willing to travel to meet her father.

Yasen, is a great side character and helps to carry the story when he and Zarya are forced to split. I love the plutonic friendship that has formed between the two and he is always someone who can be depended on. That is probably why his character description describes him as “Emotional support companion and King of our Hearts”, which is so true. He adds some levity and comic relief to the story to lighten some of the more emotional moments.

The reader will also get some tender and steamy moments with Zarya and Rabin. I do like them as a couple and it doesn’t hurt that Rabin can shift into a dragon, which makes him all the sexier. Their relationship remains strong though out the book even when they are put into some dire situations. I love the idea of the bond between them and how it was magically enhanced through tattoos binding them together.

Queen of Shadows and Ruin was a decently strong conclusion to the quartet. I never trusted the king, but being in the palace added some additional tension to the story as I waited to see, with Zarya, if he would help her in her efforts with the revolution or end up being the disappointment and danger she was always led to believe. There were still some surprises to be had there as his motivations were revealed. I didn’t expect how the prophecy would be fulfilled and so that was a great twist to the story.

The ending wrapped up well and tied together most of the loose ends of the series. The epilogue was also a nice touch to let the reader know how all surviving characters were doing ever the events of the book, which I think is a must for a series like this. I also appreciate that Nisha J Tuli gave a character list at the beginning of the book to help the reader remember who all the characters were and some of the important plot points from the other books. I needed some of the reminders as it has been a few months since reading the last books.

Solid overall romantasy series with interesting magic, cool world building and unusual foundational lore.

I can't believe this is the end of the Nightfire Quartet! This series remains one of the few epic South Asian fantasy series in traditional publishing, and it makes me so happy to see this series be so beloved. Zarya's story was a wild ride, and I can't believe how far she and our cast of characters have come since Heart of Night and Fire. Zarya especially had excellent character development an I'm so proud of everything she accomplished. The romance between Rabin and Zarya in this book was very high heat again, with a very angsty subplot towards the middle-end of the book. I can't recommend this series enough for my romantasy lovers seeking more diverse stories in the genre!

Beautiful conclusion to the Nightfire Quartet. All good things must come to an end, I guess.

This book started of calmly. Zarya and company arrive in Andhera, ready to meet Raja Abishek. While everything seems to be going OK, we, as a reader, are just waiting for all hell to break loose. This part is a bit predictable but luckily things are more exiting when, you know, all hell breaks loose.

While I missed the banter between Zarya and Yasen, this book was filled with beautiful, heartfelt moments which make you love the characters even more.

I'm sad this story is over. It is still my favorite series of Nisha J. Tuli. I can't wait for her next books.
Thank you Nisha, Second Sky and Netgalley for the copy I received. This is my honest review.

This book was a captivating final installment in the Nightfire Quartet.
There were a lot of intertwined storylines that needed to come together and find closure, and Nisha did a great job of accomplishing that.