Great sequel! Fabulous world building. Loved every minute of this book. I need more now! Morgan and Draven are my new favorite characters. Need to read more for sure.

A Wild Ride Full of Twists but Lacking the Dark Romance Vibes

The sequel to Queen of Roses picks up right after that cliffhanger, dropping us into a brand-new world—literally. We leave behind everything familiar from Camelot (which feels a bit disappointing) and dive into the dangerous court of the Siabra, where Morgan and Draven are thrust into a deadly game of survival. The new setting is chaotic in a good way, but I couldn’t help feeling like all the world-building from book one was tossed aside.

Morgan was frustrating for much of the first half. She’s mad at Draven for saving her life (??), constantly whining about being "kidnapped," and somehow manages to know absolutely nothing about her own world despite being a princess. It dragged a bit until the 60% mark when the story finally picked up. Once the action and magic trials kicked in, I was hooked.

Draven, as always, is the standout. He’s the perfect mix of protective, respectful, and mysterious. The romance between him and Morgan was better here but still not giving the “dark romance” we were promised. There’s some spice, but it’s closer to The Love Hypothesis than anything wild. The chemistry is there, but the love triangle vibes weren’t for me.

What saved this book for me were the twists and the action-packed second half. There were some shocking moments that had my jaw on the floor, and now I need book three to see how everything plays out.

Final Thoughts:
It’s not perfect—slow start, some frustrating character choices, and not nearly enough dark romance—but the twists, action, and Draven pulled me back in. I’m still invested, even if I’m side-eyeing Morgan half the time.

Court of Claws. Well my fellow readers Morgan and Draven continue on their quest to bring piece to their kingdom. As the duo finds rest from the zombie children and the grotesque Harpies, in Dravens kingdom. Morgan needs this time to heal and Draven needs this time to claim what’s rightfully his. Just when I thought the first book was unbelievably good, this second installment is even better!
The action is like, whoa - did I just read that?! The suspense is nail biting and truly a climactic page turner. The excitement. The fantasy. The magic and the endless entertainment.
All of it was simply fantastic. What an incredible way to grab a reader’s imagination through a few simple words and shape those words into something that transports that reader to another realm. In that realm is where dreamers dream and create their fantasies. I loved the new characters that came into play. I hope that they continue on into the next saga.
Oh and I can not forget… Should I dare say? There’s a kiss and something more! Be prepared you naughty readers you! I give this book two snaps and a - Ohhhh Avriel no one has ever told you no have they?

Thank you NetGalley for this book!
this book was somehow better than the first I couldn't put this book down and read it in one sitting.
This book was fast-paced, action-packed and had the perfect amount of romance.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series !

Court of Claws by Briar Boleyn was such a wild ride! The tension between Lyria and her enemies had me hooked right away—she’s bold, sharp, and definitely not someone you’d want to mess with. And don’t even get me started on the romance… the chemistry was 🔥.

The world is dark and dangerous, but it’s written in a way that makes it feel so real. I loved how the stakes kept getting higher, and there were twists I didn’t see coming. It’s one of those books where you tell yourself you’ll read one more chapter, and suddenly it’s 2 a.m.

If you like your fantasy with a fierce heroine, steamy romance, and plenty of action, you’ll love this one. It’s the kind of story that stays with you even after you finish!

This whole series was kindly sent to me by netgalley!
It was so damn good, and I will be rereading this at some point! Definitely recommended it!

*Romantacy
*Enemies to lovers
*Blood Bonds

Absolutely love this author and this storyline! It has been one of my favorite series to read! I love the world building and the way she draws you into the charaters. I was hooked from book one and now, I cannot put this series down! I cannot wait to continue this journey and find out what happens next! Thank you netgalley and Briar for allowing me to read this!

This series is really fun so far. I definitely really enjoyed this one more than book 1 and can’t wait to see where the next two books go.

Following the devastating end of book 1, Morgan starts this book in the Court of the Siabra. This builds on the retelling of Camelot with lost of twists and introduction of fae into the world.

I liked the uniqueness of this fantasy and this had a nice amount of adventure compared to book 1.

Love, trials/ games, betrayal, mythical creatures, and more!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a captivating read that held my attention from start to finish. The story was well-paced, and the characters felt real and engaging. I’m grateful to the publisher for providing an early copy—it was a pleasure to read!

Screaming

- Royals
- Fae
- Spice
- Magic
- M/F romance
- Queer side characters
- Animal companion

This book was so good I devoured it. The romance in this is indeed a slow burn extended from book 1 and still going in ways I won't spoil.

The magic in this books is really cool and I enjoy how people have different powers.

Beks is my favourite and Nightclaw <3
I cannot wait to read the rest of this series its so good. Not sure why I didn't read it sooner

I love this series. Such a good story which is excellently written. Great development of the characters and I love the mythology mixed with fantasy.

I absolutely adored every second of this book. The whole thing felt like a crossover of the challenges under the mountain in ACOTAR, and the hilarious banter of Fourth wing all mixed in with hints of Arthurian legend. In other words, a splendid fantasy novel and enthralling sequel.

To make things better— it was a bit spicier than Queen of Roses. I'm hoping to see this continue with the other books in the series.

The rising romance and banter between Morgan and Kairos was well written in my opinion for the rest of the plot going on around it. I loved getting to see their characters get more attraction to each other and to see character development grow stronger in them both as the book went on.

I received this book through Netgalley and I absolutely can't wait to see where the rest of this series goes!

⭐️ 4
🌶 2/5

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

Wow, this book took a turn for excitement. It is vastly different than the first in the series, but in a good way. It picks right up where the cliffhanger of the first book left off and doesn't stop. It's just go, go, go in non stop action. There's danger around every corner so I wish there was a moment to breathe and not constantly wondering if my favorite characters are going to die. Morgan is less annoying in this book having finally to stand up for herself. Unfortunately everyone she thinks she trusts is still giving half truths and hiding secrets for their own survival. She is a force to reckon with but everyone constantly just uses her. I hope she rises up to her own worth in the next book. I still just love the world building of this series, I feel like I can picture everything that happens like I'm actually there. And there's a slight cliffhanger in this one that's annoying too, but at least I have the next book to just jump right into.

Really enjoyed the series, was hooked the entire journey. Was invested in the characters the whole time.

I really enjoyed this book. Thank you so much Netgalley for an arc of this book. I apologize for the late review.

This was a great follow up to book one. I was engaged throughout and loved seeing the plot progress.

Court of Claws by Briar Boleyn** Court of Claws is a standout fantasy that grips you from the start with its unique premise and richly developed characters. Briar Boleyn’s storytelling shines as she weaves a tale of ambition, betrayal, and unexpected alliances. The protagonist is incredibly relatable, facing challenges that resonate on both personal and political levels. Boleyn expertly builds tension, keeping readers on their toes with clever twists and turns. The court setting is vividly depicted, immersing you in a world that feels both familiar and fresh. What I particularly loved was the emotional depth of the relationships. Boleyn doesn’t just create heroes and villains; she gives them motives and vulnerabilities that make every interaction feel impactful. Overall, Court of Claws is a gripping read that balances adventure with heart. Boleyn has crafted a compelling narrative that will stay with you long after the last page. Highly recommended for fans of immersive fantasy!

Rating: 4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️.5
Format: e-ARC (409 Pages) - Already Out

This book picks up right from the cliffhanger in Book 1, where we discovered that Draven, the sexy bodyguard, is actually a fae. He saves Morgan, the protagonist, by performing a mysterious ritual.

Morgan finally heals and wakes up to find herself in a foreign land where the fae live after the wars among their kind. This place is actually located beneath a volcano, which is so cool! We also learn that Draven is a prince and must face deadly, vicious trials to compete for his throne alongside other candidates.

We delve deeper into the fae world, the origin of Excalibur, and the fact that fae tend to marry within their family-ish, not exactly incestuous, but for example, marrying your sister-in-law. The world-building in this book is amazing. The trials were brutal and so well done, and we finally got some smut and it’s spicy! Love it!

But this one ends with another cliffhanger, followed by a fantastic epilogue from a different POV. I’m super excited to continue with the series! 🥰🥰

I received a free advance review copy and am voluntarily sharing my thoughts. Many thanks to the author @briarboleynauthor and @netgalley for providing it.

Trigger Warnings: Kidnapping, physical abuse, amputation, animal death, animal abuse, cannibalism, child abuse, child death, parent/family death, domestic violence, homophobia, execution, murder, violence, infertility, misogyny.

Court of Claws is the second book in the Blood of a Fae - a romantasy series that is a genderbending retelling of King Aruthur. Book one is available here: Queen of Roses Like book 1, there's a lot of worldbuilding in this installment because this whole book takes place on a completely new continent. I loved how eloquently Boleyn lays out this new country/court system. I still wish there was a map available but maybe there will be for book 3??? I found the worldbuilding in this installment to be more natural when compared to Queen of Roses. Boleyn did a better job of showing, rather than telling the reader about the rules of this new court/country. I give Boleyn credit for this improvement in her writing.

However, where she's improved in world-building, the character development side of this book would take one step forward and two steps back...especially with our MFC, Morgan. Throughout the book, Morgan would have these spots of true insight & rational thinking and then do a complete 180 in the next paragraph - suddenly being so whiney and honestly insufferable. Sadly, the stupidness of Morgan is SO ANNOYING throughout this whole book - she complains about being 'kidnapped' when all the MMC did was save her f***ing life. Around 70% of the way through, the romance kicks off and I truly thought we were done with the FMC being stupid - and this is true until the very end when she reverts back to creating a new plot point by suddenly deciding the MMC again. It feels like the author can't create cliff-hangers/engagement for the next books in her series without creating some sort of false fight between the two characters - cuz this was very similar to book 1.

BOTTOM LINE: This book struggles throughout the first half, with Morgan continuing to be ABSOLUTELY INSUFFERABLE. Sadly, we got some character development for her throughout the second half of the book, but it's all reversed out within the last couple of chapters. At this point, I'm planning to DNF the series.

Thank you to Starwater Press, Brirar Boleyn & NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.