4 Stars
I really enjoyed the first book in this series and the second book did not disappoint! I love following these characters, and the tension between Zarya and Rabin is too good. The world building just keeps getting better and I found myself getting heavily invested with the secondary characters as well (I want Yasen to also be my BFF please). I did find that this started off slow for me though it definitely delivered on the spice. Will definitely continue the series because of course I need to know what'll happen next after that reveal at the end! The narrator for the audiobook version was great as well, definitely kept me engaged in the story.

Thank you NetGalley Dreamscape Select, and Second Sky for the ARC!

Zarya has come to terms with who she is and is starting to learn the extent of her powers. Her relationship with Rho (ok sorry if I misspell this was an audiobook) is rocky but getting better. Her relationship with Rabin is heating up. I overall liked this book better than the first. The first book took me a little longer to get into and this one was faster-paced. I enjoyed that you could see Zarya open up to others and grow into herself. We get to see a lot of who she is.

This was an audiobook, and the narrator has a great voice. She made Zarya come to life. I had trouble distinguishing between several characters but at least for the main characters. There was no problem with the flow, and the narrator was able to transport me into the book multiple times.

I think this book would've been great as a dual POV with a full cast.

Tuli is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors. Also... how is she writing so many books back to back?

I received this audiobook from Dreamscape Select via NetGalley in exchange for an honest Review.

4.5 stars

What a way to continue a beautiful series! I was so excited to dive back into this world, and Nisha J. Tuli did not disappoint. This book follows Zarya, as she continues to discover more about herself, her magic, and the relationships with the people around.

This book has a slightly slower pace in the beginning compared to the first book, but it was equally captivating. And the second half…oh my gosh! I was so nervous about what was going to happen, I could not set it down. I practically inhaled it.

I love that we not only got to learn more about Zarya in this book, but we got more Rabin!! He’s definitely the morally gray “touch her, and d*e” character of this story, and I am LIVING for it. The connection between him and Zarya was so palpable. A slow burn but make it spicy.

I would like to finish this review off by declaring myself the president of the Yasen Fan Club. His witty remarks and comments had me laughing throughout the whole book. I love him so much. While I loved getting to explore Zarya’s romantic relationships more in this book, the platonic relationship between Yasen and Zarya was incredibly special to me. I love their friendship and that they can lean on each other for support.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you so much to Nisha J Tuli and Second Sky Books for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review.

i enjoyed book 2 more than book 1, but the plot felt underdeveloped. The Southasian-inspired fantasy world was refreshing and interesting, but the world-building was a bit chaotic to keep track of. I did really annoy the tension between the two romantic leads, and the character development that happened in this book. i look forward to what happens in the rest of the series.

the audiobook gets 1 more star for the fantastic work done by the narrator. bills were due. she killed it. really great work from her. i was engaged the whole time.

I enjoyed this even more than book 1... and I loved book 1! The tension? The pining? Exquisite! I CANNOT WAIT to see where the series goes from here. I have so many thoughts, opinions, hopes, and theories and I can't wait to see which come true. Nisha J Tuli remains an auto-buy author for me! The audiobook is fantastic.

She wasn't kidding when she promised this one would heat up. We went from no spice to burning hot. And I am NOT complaining.

I was fortunate enough to snag digital and audiobook ARCs of this title, so I indulged in my favourite reading method: simultaneously listening and reading along. The narrator did an exceptional job, hooking my attention from start to finish.

The storyline keeps getting better and better, the fantasy aspects based on South Asian lore are a great change in scenery from the usual fantasies I've been reading. I can’t wait to see where the narrative leads in future instalments.

Now, the romance, on the other hand, fell flat for me. Rabin was such an enigmatic character in the first book, and I had really high hopes for him. He’s presented as the morally ambiguous male lead I always look forward to, he just didn't do it for me. The dynamic between him and Zarya felt more contentious than affectionate.

On the bright side, the side characters, particularly Yasen, were great. I really enjoyed the redemption arcs of Row and Aarev, though Vik's behaviour left much to be desired. Unfortunately, Amrita lacked any type of personality, which I get it, she’s a tree. But yeah, I wanted a bit more from her.

Overall, for fantasy enthusiasts, this series is a solid choice. But if you're seeking a romance-heavy romantasy, this may not be the ideal pick for you.

MY GAWD HOW I LOVE THIS SERIES. I feel like I can never get enough of each book. Zarya is still so far away from the answers she didn't even know she needed till recently. Between learning her powers, trying to help Dharati, figuring out what and who exactly Rabin is, as well as discovering things that effect all of her new found family. This series is absolutely addictive.

I totally enjoyed this book! I made sure to do a re-read before starting this so I didn't forget anything important.

I am quite glad this didn't end on a huge cliff hanger. We got a decent resolution to the main story line and I am excited to see what will come next.

I did kind of see what was coming, coming... but I am still excited!!!

Nisha has an amazing ability to bring all senses into her writing. Many writers do sight and sounds, but she touches on all of them.

A few hours after I finished Dance of Stars and Ashes, I found myself thinking about the characters, eager to get back to their story, and disappointed to remember I finished the book.

Now I guess I wait for book 3.

Thank you so much for letting me linsten to this audiobook. This was a special listening experiance for me. Onely after some time, did I realise that this was the second Book in a series. But even though i missed the firt part, this was an enjoyable listen to me.

THIS IS PHENOMENAL!
First of all, the cover is beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous!
I didn’t realize this was a continuation so I went and found book 1 and let me tell you, what an AMAZING series! I
I’ve loved the friendship between Zarya and Yasin! This is such an action packed book! The spice and tension build up is TOP TIER!
Also I love the new nickname dragon daddy gave zarya! This was action packed, fast paced and I am desperate for more.
The narrator is fantastic, her male voices are wonderful as well! Seriously I think this may be one of my favorite reads ever! I can’t wait for more!

ETA- I’m truly devastated this is over for now

Go Nisha! This book was so good. You outdid yourself!

Thank you so much for the approval and I really did enjoy myself.

The narrator did a fabulous job with enhancing the story. She had me on the edge of my seat!

This is the 2nd book the the Nightfire Quartet and can we talk about how much action was packed into this book. There was constant battles between the blight and darkness. It seemed around every turn they had to battle.

This book is the continuation of Zarya’s story. The amount of character growth the FMC went through was outstanding. Not only was she working on loving herself, healing the broken pieces but also worked on loving others that hurt her.

You get all the fantastic cast back. And I love that you see so much more so Yasem. Also you get introduce to Rubin in the first book, but you really get to see him a lot more this time around. It was really enjoyable watching them deny the attraction between them. Until the didn’t anymore. I would say the spice is around 2 🌶️.

You actually get to meet and interact with a lot of the other character this book.

I cried… the last few chapter had been heartbreaking for Zarya. With all the twist and turns it was hard to decider what was coming next. I even yelled a certain name out loud, because I was so happy!

If you like an immersive world, tension, fate, best friends, who did this to you ( but from her), and so many more of the best tropes. You will want to read this book!

This is my first five star review of the year. I shouldn’t be surprised it’s a Nisha Tuli book, because of course it is. She’s pure genius when it comes to crafting a story. The world, the characters, the emotion, god I loved every moment of this book. It’s rare that the second book in a series is better than the first, but this one is. They just keep getting better and better. I cannot wait to see where this story goes. And although I completely devoured this book with lightening speed, I also savored every word. She’s just that good. Do yourselves a favor and Read. This. Book!!! Read all Nisha’s books. She will not disappoint.

We rejoin Zarya in the middle of some shenanigans with her besties and things go about how you might expect even with her own personal shadow/nemesis Rabin catching them and following along...

There’s never a dull moment as it’s time for the princess to become queen and there’s the continued demon threat happened outside the city walls. Zarya is trying to understand her magic and how to properly use it while attempting to keep her new home and found family safe... A mission outside the city leads to some things changing and the discovery of betrayal and loss...

Of course I loved this... even though Zarya got on my nerves a bit but I suppose she’s young and spent her life very sheltered so it can be excused... About halfway through the book I knew exactly what was going to happen between Zarya and Rabin it was rather obvious how that would go... can’t wait till the next one comes out and see what Zarya and Yasen get up to and if she might find what she’s looking for...

Thank you so much for this opportunity! This audio blew me away. I needed this added depth to the book. The switching of characters was seamless. The narrator delivered the action and emotions superbly.

4.25/5 Worth the wait!

The minute I finished Heart of Night and Fire, I knew that Dance of Stars and Ashes was going to be good. The way that Rabin came in at the end, I just knew. I was not disappointed.

Aside from Zarya and Rabin's tension and inevitable pay-off, the next best thing was Zarya and Yasen. Their friendship is the best thing about this book series, it was a pleasure to see their friendship grow from the end of Heart of Night and Fire.

I know this is a slow-burn romance, but I was warned (I always appreciate an author's note at the beginning). That doesn't stop it from being a little frustrating at times. Nevertheless, I can't wait for the next one!

Did I go find the first book and read all of it and this one in 2 days? Yes. Did I thoroughly enjoy it? Absolutely.
Zarya is an excellent female lead and I love that, even if the stars literally had to align for her to have all the talents she does, it doesn't feel too contrived. The world building in this story is amazing and the prose is so descriptive it helps bridge any culture gaps between the reader and the tale. The growing dynamics between the characters is very well done and I appreciated the depiction of how complicated a sibling relationship can be but still have room for love and acceptance. The audiobook narrator did an excellent job properly conveying the emotion of the scenes and helped to really pull you into the story. I can't wait for the next installments!

This was such a fun series continuation! I really enjoyed the way the story was set up! It was a very fast read, and was full of action and spice. The side characters were so much fun after leaning more about them as well. The slow burn romance has FINALLY started burning, though I was frustrated with the end of the book! Can’t wait to get my hands on book three! If you are looking for new romantasy reads this is definitely the book for you!

Two words: Dragon Daddy

I feel like that’s all that really needs to be said but let me go on. Everything about this book is amazing. Zarya is the heroine you love to root for. Raised in isolation for 21 years, this book is about the journey of friendships and found family. There is magic and mystery and spice. All the things that make a great adult fantasy. The love interest is dark and broody and the whole relationship is angsty tension filled perfection. Touch her and die vibes. This book isn’t even out yet and I’m salivating for the next.

Wow wow wow! I’m ready for book 3 please. FMC is a bad ass. Also she asks HIM “who did this to you?” with all the muderous vibes!!! This is a great FanRo series with East Asian inspirations that weaves an interesting story with a full cast of (mostly) lovable characters. #DanceofStarsandAshes