Blood of a Fae #2 by Briar Boleyn (ARC from NetGalley)

An explosion of danger, powerful magic, lust, and a brutal game that will test the relationships of the people Morgan has grown to care for in this cutthroat realm. 

Court of Claws is the second book in this epic dark fantasy romance series about Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur's sister. She escaped his cruel reign, but is the court she unwillingly thrown into any better?  It's an enemies-to-lovers series that features unique magic systems, glorious magical creatures, witty banter, and spicy scenes emerging after a slow-burn romance from book one. 

Morgan Pendragon wakes in the dangerous court of the Siabra. The fae male who followed and clung to her in the town tavern wasn't all that he seemed.  She was falling in love with him until he betrayed her and is now dead by her hand. Draven is famous for being a notorious killer but continuously protects her making her rethink what she thought she knew of him.  Whenever she was put in danger, Draven was at her side, but can he still protect her in his courts? 

She is now surrounded by danger and liars with some in his court and could be killed at any moment. This is extremely similar to her previous life but .  Feeling trapped against her will, Morgan wants to run back to Camelot to stop her evil half brother King Arthur, and keep her baby brother safe but cannot leave the place she was taken.  Prince Kairos Draven is determined to keep her by his side to keep her safe and her as his own. He believes he can do this because he is the crown prince and the people in his kingdom should obey his commands.  The issue is he was banished for things he did in his past and the fae in this court are less than thrilled to have Morgan in their realm and involved with their prince.  He told everyone that Morgan was his paramour (aka lover, mistress, whore) to keep her safe, but his word may not deter others who are bloodthirsty for the crown that is Dravin's right as the heir. 

As Morgan and Draven's lives become even more irrevocably entwined, the danger that Draven has to endure with the trials to win the crown may be the end of them both.  It is dangerous, and little does Morgan know the reality of her relationship with Draven could drive them apart. She is afraid of her powers and he wants her to train so she can control it better.  If she cannot do that, she can potentially hurt innocent people. The Prince of Claws will drown kingdoms in blood for her and his own sake.  All they need to do is keep each other alive. 

The first book slowly introduces this world and sets up this story to continue Morgan and Draven's journey. It has more action, enemies to lovers, dangerous situations, fantastic magical beasts, and steps up the story. I enjoyed this book infinitely more than the first and found it hard to put down.

Thank you NetGalley and StarWater Press for the opportunity to ARC read this book

I finally realized what this series reminds me of. This book especially reminds me of JLA’s Kingdom of Flesh and Fire in her Blood and Ash Series. Draven being the lost prince and Morgan being the lost empress now that she has gone through the portal to save her little brother and kingdom from her brother’s rule.

As Draven crosses the sea to reunite with Morgan after she used an altar to transport herself back to her kingdom to save her people from her brother’s rule, she is discovering things she never knew about her mother and her pedigree to the throne.

The dreams we get to experience with Draven and Morgan are so perfect. I feel as though without them this book would have dragged and not been as captivating. The chemistry between those two is one of my favorites that I’ve read.

A daughter of a king will be the downfall of kings. A force traveling across the sea will bring a new war to win.

Thanks Netgalley for this book!

I am SO invested in this series. Every step of the way there’s a plot twist, revelation or some other thing that I was completely not expecting- because of this, I have become completely sucked into this series!

This book follows Morgan through as she learns more about who she is, and what she stands for. You get to learn even more about her ‘family’ and her blood relations, as well as more about her magic itself.

There are definitely some satisfying as heck moments in the book where some people get what they deserve (suck it, F), but also some more sad moments where you lose some good ones.

This book also definitely kept to its work of ‘dark’ romantasy- make sure to check triggers if you have any! There has been some moments where I’ve had to stop and be like- wtf just happened!?

Overall, I am LOVING this series. I will hopefully be purchasing paper copies to add to my shelves in the future!

P.S Briar pls stop killing off good characters, my heart can only take so much (rip my fav person in Siabra 🥲)

Whewwww weeeee! This was intense!
Love, war, death, life this book covered all the bases. I'm looking forward to the fourth book but sad to have it end.
The depth of emotion Morgan feels when coming to terms with the fact that Draven is her mate is lovely. The story of their love is beautiful.
Their strength together is inspiring.
You can feel the depth of her loss each time she experiences one. And you can feel the gravity of what that feels like for Draven.
This is a truly good series and I've enjoyed reading their growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for the advanced reader's copy of this book!

The third book in the Blood of a Fae series, Empress of Fae, has been my least favorite book in the series so far. I was so excited to start and get back to the story going on in Camelot, but ended up struggling through the book. I felt the plot moved too slowly and there was too much filler that I personally just did not care for. I also did not really enjoy the new "villain" in this book and thought they were basic and boring.

While reading the last few chapters, I remembered why I enjoyed the series to begin with and quickly finished the book. I am looking forward to see how the series ends and hopefully get some answers to all my questions about our FMC, Morgan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
🌶️🌶️ spice

What to Expect:
🗡️Arthurian retelling (but make it fae)
🗡️Fated mates
🗡️Revenge plot
🗡️Touch her and die
🗡️Meeting in their dreams
🗡️Found families
🗡️Dual POV

"Did you really think in a million years and a million lifetimes that I’d ever be able to stay away?"

"I saw you, and I wanted to consume you. Like a fire that would only burn for me."

McTwisty with a side of twisty fries. What an ending...

The third book in this series and I want more immediately! I loved that we got nuanced character development in this book. It wasn't as plot focused as the previous ones, but laid the foundation for what's to come, ie. Morgan truly becoming the biggest badass Empress. The dream scenes got me absolutely drooling, just kept on the edge of my seat waiting for more. What a satisfying way to keep the romance burning while our MCs are torn apart across realms.

The tie in with Guin and the nod to the Knights of the Round Table was a moment we were all waiting for, and I love that this is an Arthurian retelling with all the elements you'd expect, but made so much more complex with the fae world building. So many characters in this one were not as you'd expect and lots of those twists I did not see coming!

This series continues to keep me hooked, I'll admit I liked the second book slightly more, but this was absolutely a setup for an epic conclusion in the 4th and final installment, and you know it's going to be worth it. This one brought our girl Morgan back into her own realm, joining forces with her old friends and satisfyingly giving us some much needed vengeance, though bittersweet (iykyk). Now get your boy, and save the world together Morgs!

Oh...and I vote for a Hawl spin off. Anyone else?

Book 3 of “Blood of Fae” came back around in a great way. The shortfalls of “Court of Claws” are shored up, Morgan realizes her mistakes, Draven realizes he has to communicate, both finally open up. The writing felt less forced and the story seemed to have a better flow. The intrigue and deception of the court life is back, as well as a new “tournament”. While there was less of a cliffhanger ending, there was still enough leading into the 4th book to keep readers going.

Read this if you like:
➡️ Fated Mates
➡️ Court Intrigue
➡️ Talking Animals
➡️ Who Can You Trust
➡️ Quest for Camelot
➡️ Magical animal companions
➡️ Found Family

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🔥🔥🔥🔥

I really enjoyed book three. I think what I like most about this series is how each book is so different. We meet different characters and the author keeps things changing.

Unlike the first two books in the series by Briar Boleyn, I had a hard time getting into Empress of Fae. Perhaps it is a personal preference, but I expect the main characters to grow in mental strength through their journey, and for most of this book, that just was not the case. Did I enjoy this one, yes. Was it my favorite of the bunch, not particularly.

However, I am invested in the overall story and plan to read the last book so that I can see how it will all come together. Will evil win out? Will love find a way? Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity!

“𝑰'𝒅 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰'𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇.”

Truly, each book keeps getting better and better. I think I've fallen even more in love with both Draven and Morgan. Morgan has quickly become a favorite fmc of mine. I love that she can make rash decisions sometimes but, then take time to think and realize her mistakes. She wants to do everything herself but, she's learning it's ok to ask for help from those she loves.

I am constantly thrown for a loop reading these books. So many twists I didn't see coming. Each character is written so perfectly, I think Hawl might be one of my favorite side characters - rowdy bear. 🤭 I adore the bantering between the characters and the found family aspects. I'm so excited to finish this series and see how it all wraps up.

Also can I just say, Draven's "my wife" moments are so freaking swoon worthy. Oof. That man is literally the perfect morally grey book boyfriend with a secret heart of gold.

Oh and THE ROUND TABLE makes an appearance! I was so excited over that. 😂 And to finally get some Draven POVS.

𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔:
✨️: 5/5
🌶: 3/5

Morgan Pendragon has another name now: Morgan Le Fay. As her true heritage slowly emerges from the mists of the past, Morgan renounces one possible future as the new ruler of the fierce Siabra fae and the wife of the Prince of Claws and vanishes through a portal–returning to Camelot and the Rose Court where her friends and younger brother lie in mortal peril from Arthur's cruel wiles.
But back in the Court of Claws, Kairos Draven won't allow his beloved to disappear from his life so easily. His bond with Morgan goes beyond blood, love, life, and even time itself and neither one of them can relinquish its power or its pull.
Yet Morgan is no ordinary woman. Not only is she beginning to manifest remarkable abilities, but the powers of the gods themselves run through her veins, bestowing her with an unimaginable power and an unthinkable claim over all of Aercanum and beyond...
My thoughts: this book picks right up from the cliffhanger of book 2. I was again frustrated by Morgan repeating the same mistakes throughout this book. I was a little disappointed that although the two main characters were separated, they rekindled very quickly but didn't resolve any issues. I'm excited to see what book 4 brings about as new characters and the past is revealed!

⭐️⭐️⭐️3.5/5
🌶️🌶️2/5 spicy meter
These books (and this especially) certainly, certainly is a dark fantasy. There are many disturbing subjects in this book so read the warnings if you are worried!

This is the third installment of the Blood of a Fae series by Briar Boleyn! (there WILL be spoilers in this!)

Morgan returns to Camelot, and Draven remains in Myntra, but not for long as he journeys to Pendrath for Morgan. Morgan’s story is one of rediscovering friendships, who can be trusted, and court politics. Draven unfortunately does not have much action in this book until the last 20% when he arrives in Camelot (which was a bummer for me - I enjoy his character more than Morgan’s).

The reason this is not a true 4 star read for me is that I felt it was more rushed than the previous 2 books. I absolutely adore the world building in the first two and the descriptions of everything. I felt that this book lacked that (and yes, we do know Camelot at this point, but a lot has changed). I felt that many things ended up glazed over. The “tournament” in this book was quick and simple, Fenyx felt like a Florian 2.0, Javer’s death happened so quickly and there were no follow ups on it, or even a response from Morgan when it happened. And I’m very sorry, but I was not a fan of the dream smut lol!

Also, Morgan ended Court of Claws absolutely hating Draven, and then as soon as she “sees” him again (in a dream), she is completely over it. Which I was happy about yes, but it makes her running away have seemed kind of pointless.

With all this being said, it was still a quick, enjoyable read for me. I have grown to like these characters and grow fond of some of them! I really enjoyed Orcades and wish she could’ve been more involved (and I’m hoping she somehow returns). I do love the brutality the author is not afraid to shield us from, although I do wish Lancelet had truly died for the cause; I think it would’ve made a big statement. I’m curious to see what happens to Kaye and the baby, although maybe I’m not. This author is NOT afraid to kill off characters which I love! I’m hoping the fourth book is more stylistically like the first two, which I absolutely adored.

I am glad Arthur was able to have a tiny moment for redemption before his death. Do I feel bad? I don’t know. I was shocked to see what lengths his character went to in this book, with his last loathsome act being killing innocent babies. It was disgusting to read, but I feel like it was the last thing he could do that would make him truly an unredeemable character no matter what.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! On to the finale!

Thank you to Netgalley and Briar Boleyn for the arc.
This was a great sequel to the first two books in the series.

Morgan has returned to her kingdom leaving her husband behind and now has to usurp her brother on the throne using whatever means necessary.
Draven, now responsible for the Court of Umbral Flames, has to take cautious decisions. Will he stay where he is required to rule over the court or go after his wife who is in a kingdom, at war with its neighbours?

I was so into the book, I didn't even realise I'd finished half of it in mere hours. Personally, this was my favourite book in the series. I was so invested in Morgan and Draven's story. Pretty sure this series will undoubtedly remain one of the most memorable I've read.

My favourite quote from the book:
"I'd rather be a villain by your side than play the hero for anyone else. The
world is dark and vile, but I'd willingly follow you into the depths of hell
itself."

Another great book! I just cant help but love this series. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of them before now!!!

This intense read is book 3 in the Blood Of A Fae series. This book shouldn’t be read as a stand alone. It should be read in order with the other books in this series.
The romance in this book is situated around an established relationship. Due to the events the romance is more longing.
The book does have some spice. It is deliciously descriptive. It does take a back seat to the plot.
The book moves at a steady pace following the MCs going on separate adventures. This book has lots of self reflection.
The characters are written as perfect as they were in the previous book. We get to know some of the other characters better, as well as getting to know our MCs even more. The banter remains a high point in the series.
The world building is complex but remains in the world previously introduced. There are new aspects added in. This keeps the story growing with each book.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Starwater Press for this ARC

What I love about this saga is that each book is really different from the other, has its own challenges and villains and we never get bored.
Morgan has left Draven to go back to Camelot and save her brother Kaye from the atrocities of Arthur. Draven decides to go after her against her wishes and we see that the situation in Pendrath is critical.
In this book we discover more about Orcades and Morgan and their past.
The lore is more developed in this book, we get a prophecy that could change everything and we get to know a little more about Gorlois and his motives.
The relationship between Draven and Morgan is strengthened and I loved seeing it!
Also, I loved Hawl’s character in this book!

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. Spoilers will be in a separate section of this review marked by brackets.

I'm of two minds about this book. Between this book and the second book I feel that this author knows how to write great endings but doesn't know how to start the beginnings. The first half of the book I felt like the author was trying to write their way out of a corner. I felt this way about the second book as well however this book undoes some things that happened in the second book. That was frustrating to me.

The spice was there (and I'm impressed by how the wording of the spicy scenes haven't seemed to repeat in the three books I've read so far) but that doesn't make up for the juvenile behaviour from MC.

[SPOILERS INCOMING]
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Again, I was mystified by MCs motivation. When we left her at the end of the second book she hated her LI but within a chapter she loved him again? At one point she asked herself if her LI missed her and I was like YOU HATE HIM WHY DO YOU CARE?? I can't deal with this 'will they, won't they' plot line. It never felt genuine to me, almost like it was delaying the inevitable. There were parts that were so cliche it had me physically rolling my eyes. It also felt like the author needed to drum up drama for the end of the second book and undoes those choices almost immediately upon the beginning of the this book.

For the most part of this book MC was steady with her emotions regarding her LI but I was never sure it would stay that way. That could be good or bad depending on your perspective. The MCs moods are really unpredictable when it comes to her LI and after only *one* book of constant back and forth and emotions seemingly flipping on a dime... I was so tired by it all. I'm glad she finally decided to accept her situation (and her own feelings?) but sprinting into love just after declaring her hate for the same person is so frustrating.

It was interesting to get LI's POV but those chapters didn't land as much as I had hoped. I was hoping he'd be three dimensional by now, especially seeing as we were viewing the world through his eyes but that didn't come to pass. His main motivations were SEX and PROTECT and not much else.
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[END OF SPOILERS]



I started and finished this book within two days. Despite all my criticisms this author knows how to keep me spellbound. I did have to force my way through to the half way mark and almost didn't finish this book. I'll still read the fourth one but my standards are getting lower and lower with each book. Here's hoping the fourth book really pulls it off!

Book 3 and it just keeps getting better!

We pick up where we left off with Morgan in Camelot and Draven back in the Court of Claws. If you love a MMC who is willing to do ANYTHING for his mate then Kairos Draven is it! This book was ACTION packed, it felt like things were moving at warp speed but in a good way.

I loved seeing the mating bond between Morgan and Kairos evolve in this book--it provided for some excellent spice!

I think I said this about the last book but this one is my new favorite! Can't wait to see how it all ends!

Wow, I truly didn’t think it could get better than the second book but it absolutely did. This book was so full of detail, as I have grown fond of while reading this series. I loved the multiple point-of-views in this story, as it gave us some insight as to what was going on in all aspects of the world. The consistent tugging on the heartstrings and the page turning excitement left me begging for more! I am looking forward to reading the last installment in the series, but so sad to see it coming to an end.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Starwater Press, and Briar Boleyn for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

I’m really loving this series and can’t wait to read the final book! Love that a dual POV was introduced in this book 🙌🏻 I wish we kept getting the POVs from other characters like in the first few chapters because that was very cool!

In this third book Morgan and Draven are separated so there is largely no romance and I missed it! (though some fated mate magic helps them to ‘connect’ a few times hehe). There wasn’t a lot happening from Draven’s perspective so I lost him a little. The story felt a little slow at times but there was enough action to keep me hooked! The ending did feel like it wrapped up super quick considering all of the build up.

I did not see the ending coming at all though, I need to find out what happens! I can’t wait to read the final book, as I think this book has set everything up for the ultimate show down. Very excited to see Draven and Morgan reunited, Morgan fully in her baddie Empress era, and the return of some characters I’ve missed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read this series in exchange for an honest review!

4/5
I feel like this book was better than the second one. The writing seemed a bit more fluent and less rough. It is definitely a different retelling of the King Arthur tale that everyone knows.