Okay, you have to read Dance of Stars and Ashes! It’s the second book in The Nightfire Quartet, and it’s everything—fantasy, romance, drama, and some seriously good slow-burn tension. Zarya and Rabin have this fiery enemies-to-lovers thing going on, and their banter? Chef’s kiss. Plus, there’s this amazing found family vibe with the side characters, and you just feel how much they all care about each other. The story pulls you in so hard, and I was completely hooked from start to finish.

The world-building is gorgeous—it’s inspired by South Asian mythology, so the magic and setting feel super unique. And Zarya? She goes through so much growth, figuring out her powers and what she’s really capable of. There are betrayals, twists I didn’t see coming, and just when you think you know where things are going—boom, another surprise. If you love fantasy romance with deep characters, epic stakes, and a plot that keeps you up way too late, you need to read this series. Trust me, you’ll be obsessed!

Stars ⭐️ 4
Spice 🌶️ 3
Tropes: hidden magic, forced proximity, banter, enemies to lovers, slow-burn, badass FMC, touch her and die

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Nisha J. Tuli and this book was no exception. I had a great time with it. The world building, the magic and the characters are all so well done.

I love this series and I love Tuli's writing as always. This is really starting to battle The Trial of the Sun Queen series for the title of my fav Tuli series. The characters are so good, the world is fascinating, the drama is so good, and it's just down right enjoyable. Excited for the next one!

Shiromi Arserio was an amazing narrator. Her voice was easy to listen to and kept me engaged with the story.

This fast paced addition to the Nightfire Quartet, put you right back where book one left off. One thing that I enjoyed and continue to enjoy is how luscious the settings are. I felt like I was put directly into the story with Zarya and Rabin. All the characters grow and develop further.

I am looking forward to continuing on to the next book!

This next installment in Tuli’s ‘Nightfire Quartet’ is everything I hoped it would be and more. The romance is perfectly executed and seamlessly woven in with the primary plot and neither Zarya nor Rabin lose an ounce of their incredibly developed personalities once the slow burn finally catches fire. The political plot itself is adventurous, suspenseful, and runs at a breakneck pace that will have readers at the edge of their seats from cover to cover. The explosive ending had me standing up pacing while I read and I know others will feel the same. Rabin is the perfect morally dark grey book boyfriend, Zarya is incredible as a heroine and she grows so much in this second installment, and as always Yasen steals the show as amazing support and bff. Do not sleep on this series!

As always, Shiromi Arserio’s narration is TO DIE FOR.

Eternally grateful to Netgalley, Second Sky, and Dreamscape Select for the opportunity to listen to an ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Nisha J. Tuli continues the story of Zarya in Dance of Stars and Ashes, the second book in her romantasy series. Set in the shimmering city of Dharati, Zarya grapples with newly discovered ancient magic and her connection to Rabin, a warrior prince with dangerous secrets. As terrifying demons close in on the city, Zarya is determined to save her home while also uncovering the truth behind her magic. Yet, despite her resolve, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to Rabin, leaving her questioning whether it's enchantment or desire fueling their bond.

While I can see the appeal of Tuli’s romantasy world, particularly for fans of magical adventure and high-stakes romance, the insta-lust and forced enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Zarya and Rabin fell flat for me. The tension between them, rather than adding depth to their relationship, felt repetitive and at times frustrating, much like in the first book. The story had potential, especially with its intriguing plot and magical elements, but the romantic aspect overshadowed the other developments in a way that didn’t fully engage me.

That being said, I did enjoy the audiobook version of this book. The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, and their performance kept me more invested in the story than I might have been otherwise. If you're someone who enjoys fated love stories and intense romantic tension, this series might still be a good fit. However, for me, the ongoing romantic dynamics held back what could have been a more compelling story.

Even though I did not read book 1 (I didn't realize it was book 2 until I re-read the synopsis), I still enjoyed this one. Not going to lie, the cover really pulled me in! The plot was a little slow to build but it was worth the wait. We learn so much about Zarya and her past, as well as her continued connections and growth to her "found-family". The slow burn was hot and steamy and totally worth the wait in the end.
Overall it was a great listen and I'm quite likely to pick up book 1 to see what I missed. Also looking forward to book 3.

This is the second book in the Nightfire Quartet series, featuring all of the banter, spice, angst, and great characters! I loved listening to the audio format.

*many thanks to Dreamscape and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This was definitely middle of the road for me. I found this series harder to get into and just a little repetitive. I appreciated the character growth and the flow of writing but I am glad I had the audiobook to get me through. Avid fantasy readers will enjoy it.

Even though I didn’t read Book 1 of this series, I was able to jump into the book and catch on to what was going on. Great characters and great storyline! Narration was fantastic!

Many thanks to Nisha J. Tuili, Dreamscape Select, Second Sky, and Netgalley for providing me with an ALC of this book.

This book was better in ways that the first book. I liked Zarya better in this book. She had a lot of the qualities in this book that she was lacking in the first book. She was definitely more likable. She wasn't as boy crazy, mostly because she's fighting whatever is going on between herself and Rabin.

This book is also more fast paced than the last book as demons are gathering outside the city and the wards that previously protected them are gone. Now they must rush to complete a ceremony to protect them all. Meanwhile Zarya is on a mission to figure out where her magic came from. And what it means for everyone when she does.

I'm unsure if I will return to this series. It had things I liked but there were a lot of overused tropes that I just can't handle right now. I realize a lot of tropes are over used but a super special girl with super special powers who is also *spoiler* a princess? I'm just over it right now.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I had hoped to be able to find more to keep me immersed in this one coming in a bit disappointed from book 1, but I feel the same way. I am not connecting to the characters, nor do I care for their development.

This had me hooked. Its the 2nd installment of the series and it was just as gripping as the first. Plenty going on, great characters and a great storyline. I didnt want to stop listening. The narration was great. Highle recommend this series and can't wait for more from this world

This is such an easy book to read! From the plot being interesting, the pacing being spot on (I never felt a lull) and the banter between characters, it's great.

I am looking forward to the next book! There are a couple hunches that I have on where it's going to go, but the story has so many paths that it could take so it's absolutely drawing me in!

Netgalley review

The second book in the Nightfire Quartet gave us everything we needed following the first installment! You can really see the story developing in this book and I’m excited to see what happens next.

I’m calling it, Tuli is the MVP when it comes to slow burn romance, a swoon-worthy and believable storyline which has you falling even further in love with our main characters.

I have to say my favourite thing about this series so far is the really well thought through side characters. Every single one is so well developed and I really couldn’t pick a favourite (actually I lie, it’s obviously Yasen).

I need a release date for the next book ASAP!!

Strong female character. I started off by reading book two. After reading this I will be going back to read book one.

This is a female hero that discovers she has magic. And she has to save her world from the dark monsters. Someone the thought was a friend betrayed her and try’s to kill her. All to fall in love with her enemy.

I got this AudioARC without realizing it was the second book in the series, but quickly realized it and immediately downloaded the first before jumping into the second. The audio was fantastic on this and my only regret was having read it far too quickly. I definitely need to re-read in the near future.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, & Dreamscape for the ARC! I was thoroughly entertained!

No regrets!!!!

The story sadly didn't connect with me this time. The story is narrated by Shiromi Arserio. While Shiromi's portrayal of Zarya and others was commendable, I struggled to form a connection with the characters, making it challenging to stay engaged. Despite this, the narration itself was well done. I plan to revisit the series, starting with book 1, and perhaps that will enhance my experience with book 2. The 4-star rating is mainly attributed to the fantastic narration—I thoroughly enjoyed Shiromi Arserio's voice.

A special thanks to Dreamscape Select for the ALC.

For some reason I have to DNF this book at 20%. I enjoyed the first book enough but I just couldn’t connect with this one from the start. I felt unenthusiastic about continuing so I didn’t want to force it. Just might not be for me or the right time. I’ll try it again in the future though!!