I had the honor to read this as an arc and I need to say that I am absolutely amazed. I really liked the storytelling and the world of the lions. Eshe is an amazing and strong women and I really liked her story. You can feel what she feels and watch her grow, while also falling a step back from time to time. The same with Adeben. It felt very realistic to have both of them struggle often with their feelings, emotions and their communication and provided a deeper connection to both of the characters. The idea and description of the lion soul is just amazing, I've never read something like this before. I don't want to spoil any of the story, so I can just say that I really enjoyed reading this book. Only at the ending I realized, that this book does not have spice, not even very romantic scenes. Normally, I need those in a book, but let me tell you, this book doesn't need it. In fact, it's better without. It would have crashed the story at some point, so I am thankful that it was not included.

I really hope, there will be another book soon, so I can continue this series. I just now there will be much happening and some mysteries from this book that were not answered will be revealed.

*4.5 stars rounded up

This first book in The Lion Souls Trilogy blends the vibes of the Nena Knight series with the magic of Raybearer & infuses its own unique elements, namely: lions!

The cover of this book is gorgeous, & I loved the lion/lioness artwork at the beginning of each chapter denoting the back & forth POVs of Eshe & Adeben. The emphasis on mental health & the role that emotions (chief of these being anger) play in the bonds with the souls of lions was thoughtfully written, & I really liked the importance that was placed on the relationships that Eshe has with her aunt & mother.

I hope that the second & third books in this trilogy are released soon, because I am very ready to see where Eshe & Adeben go from here, & understand more about their gifts.

Thank you to NetGalley & BooksGoSocial for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

SUMMARY
Eshe is plagued with dreams of herself in the form of a lioness, fighting a lion of great power. Her rage, her desires, her strength-- they emerge in her lioness form as she takes on the powerful male lion each night.
Adeben, a lion shifter, is struck each night with the same dream. The dream that depicts him fighting, and then killing, a lioness. But female lion shifters don’t exist and the Pride he belongs to is convinced these tales of a female mean danger for the way of life they’ve fought hard to protect.
Tasked with finding the female he dreams of each night, their dreams become reality as they confront the connections between their inner lions and the world they live in. They must decide which battles are the real danger-- the fight within, the fight between them, or the fight to choose their own paths.

WHAT WE LIKE
The Magic - This tale of magical realism opens an unknown world of very specific magic to the FMC. A small group of men in Africa have been infused with the soul of a lion upon birth. When they come of age, they gain the ability to transform into the form of their inner lion. When the ability is identified, they are brought to a secret compound where the shifters are trained to bond with their lions and control the ability. What is considered a powerful gift for the men, is called an abomination when bestowed upon a woman. We, the readers, are gifted with an empowering story of perseverance and identity reclamation through Eshe’s journey into exploring her connection with the lioness.
The Slow Burn - Eshe & Adeben have a gritty enemies to lovers arc that is so very satisfying. She is stubborn but forthright with her emotions, he is stubborn and reserved-- and watching these two butt heads is the best kind of romantically charged conflict!
The Cultural Rifts - Nartey artfully delves into the internal conflict of reconciling cultural identities following emigration. Eshe’s family originates from an African country (non-specific, but possibly Ghana since Nartey possibly shares her British-Ghanaian heritage with Eshe?), however her mother and aunt were coercively moved to England by her grandfather to seal the marriage between her mother & father, and secure more opportunities for their family. So many of the struggles Eshe faces in confronting her inner-lioness can easily parallel the complicated relationships between familial and regional cultures endured by second-generation immigrants. Especially in regional cultures where the majority of the population is white/Caucasian with a long history of colonization. But more on that when we discuss the FMCs.
The FMCs - Eshe • Olivia • Grace
These women have our whole hearts! Strong, fiercely loving, dynamic FMCs are everything! Olivia & Grace are wonderful foils to each other. With Olivia’s stoic, reserved personality and Grace’s warm, demonstrative approach, we see how each can have their moments of both connection and distance with Eshe. They both struggle to get things right, but they both come from a place of love and concern for their family. In a (predominantly white) society where Black women are often stereotypically portrayed as angry, lower socio-economic status, and/or uneducated-- we love to see representation of unapologetically complex and fully defined, Black, female characters whose diverse personalities are given space to bloom in all their imperfect glory and push back on those stereotypes.
Eshe is a given the perfect amalgamation of personality traits from the two important women in her life, while still retaining her own personality and journey of discovery. Chef’s kiss, Yvonne!!
The MMCs - Adeben • William
These two represent shifting tides in long-held social constructs. With very different personalities, they compliment each other’s desires and efforts to make positive change within their community. William’s affable nature is easy to love, but his connection with Adeben is what gives him the space to be himself. Adeben gives broody, tortured vibes but the glimpses into unburdened Adeben are the layers to the grumpy, enemy-as-romantic-lead cake that we love!

REAL TALK
Some Rough Edges - The technical aspects of the writing can have some rough edges. We give some grace for indie authors, but be forewarned- there might be a few things that catch your eye.
Some Mental Health Precautions - Eshe’s initial signs of being a shifter include mood changes and behavior that is interpreted as self-harm. She is institutionalized for a period, and claims to be institutionalized as a cover story after she is aware of her shifter status. Her mother convinces her to take mood-stabilizing medications, which cause a numbness to her lioness and end up being an inadequate solution to her symptoms. Readers should be aware that some aspects of this story may be difficult for those with a history of poorly supported mental health. It’s important to contextualize the conditions around Eshe’s choice to not continue her medication regimen: the main takeaway is that they were treating the wrong problem. This should not be seen as an endorsement of stopping meds without consulting a professional, or negative commentary on conditions that require medication.

BOOK DRAGON RATING
‘A Pride of Lions’ rates a 4.5 on the Book Dragon Scale and we are eagerly awaiting a sequel!

I would give this book 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4)

This book started really strong for me, the intrigue and uniqueness surrounding the shifter system really grasping my attention. Seeing Eshe trying to subdue her inner lion and balance her 'new' and 'old' lives was interesting to follow too. I would have liked to see more of the training that happened between Eshe and Adeben, and even see more of the dynamics of the tribe and how Adeben fitted (or didn't) into their systems and plans, as well as how the Elder system worked within the tribe.

I found the writing of this novel a little jarring, as a lot of short, abrupt sentences are used - though I do wonder if that is on purpose to build some tension/anxiety that the characters may be feeling.
My other main negative point is how Eshe's mum was so flip-floppy about everything - she seemed to soften briefly and say how her actions were all for her daughter and keeping her safe, and then be really angry again the next second, which I found hard to follow.

Despite those brief points, I enjoyed reading about Lion Souls, and I am looking forward to the next one to see if any of my questions left from the ending are answered!

Stars: 4
Review Release: 03/02/25
Review Platform: Goodreads/Amazon
Review: I was very hesitant going into this one but my gosh, I was pleasantly surprised. Eshe was not your typical 'roll over and take it' kind of character, she was stubborn and relatable - very realistic. It took a while for me to be sucked in but by the ending, I was screaming due to the cliffhanger.