Thank you Saltwater Press and NetGalley for this ARC ( New Adult | Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy)

The Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn is Book 1 of Blood of a Fae, and I am so glad to have been lucky enough to get books 2, 3 and 4.

The editorial reviews say that this series is perfect for fans of ACOTAR and the fourth Wing and they are not wrong.
Pub Date 15 Apr 2023 | Archive Date 25 May 2024
ARC provided by Starwater Press

If you are looking for a YA romantasy that has everything in it- witty banter , a slow burn romance and whole new wold that you cannot but fall in love with, some whom you will really dislike, but all uforgettable.

It tells us the story of Morgan who is the chief protagonist of the story, and her inner battle between what she wants and what is destined for her. All in this is set in magical fae kingdom where we are learning about the entire world, with the backdrop of magic, morally grey characters budding romance (enemies to lovers...) and who Morgan is capable of being (..a hint at her power)

I Loved Briar's easy writing style and practically tore through this book so that I could read the rest of the series. In my opinion, just on the basis of this book alone, I think that Briar is right up there with the high priestesses of fantasy Rebeca Yarros and Sarah J Maas.

I couldn't wait to read Books2,3,and 4

*This book was gifted by netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!*
This was so good! First thing I will say is if you love From Blood and Ash you will love this. It gave me a lot of the same feelings as FBAS. This is about a half human half fae princess named Morgan who is an outcast in her family and kingdom. Her Skank of a brother Arthur sends her on a mission to retrieve the legendary sword of Excalibur so he can be all powerful. It’s a mission that for some undisclosed reason only she can complete.
SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!!!!!!!⬇️
For my review I got some notes to share:
•I love the sibling relationship between Kaye and Morgan and when she had to leave him behind and now doesn’t know when she will see him again it’s killing me. She loves the boy so much and I hope he’s okay and stays as sweet and kind as he was before he had to stay with Arthur.
•Florian is a Skank
•Arthur is the biggest Skank
•Vesper almost had me I almost rooted for him but he Tamlin’d me so now he’s also a Skank.
•The Exmoor situation had me sobbing the mama and then the baby both had me sobbing
•NOT LANCET MAN WHYYYY😭
•lastly the way I gasped finding out about Draven 🫣woooooah I knew there was something weird about him but I didn’t really think he would be one of the old fae



this review was posted on good reads and instagram as of May 2 2024

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book. I enjoyed the story and thought it was a great set-up book for the series. There is a lot of world building and some of it could be slow (similar to the first ACOTAR book) but I'm excited to see where the series goes and keep reading!

Thank you to briar, the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book, I’m so grateful. I loved this book! I was really blown away by how well this was written. It does start off slow but I loved the world-building and character descriptions.

An Arthurian retelling you say??? With enemies (sort of - they really don’t like each other at all, very slow-burn) to lovers and a mission? And a sassy, part-Fae princess that likes swords? Sign me up!

There are so many problems with this kingdom and I’m going to make a random guess and say that the garbage, narcissistic men in charge are at fault here. (I love an easy-to-hate character.) And I just love that Morgan is not blind to it AT ALL. She’s instantly suspicious and rightfully so. She’s a smart woman that wants answers. And I respect that.

We have a deliciously scrumptious classic…a “who did this to you” and that is really such a draw for any book. You get bonus points for that one! And so perfectly timed.

The story focuses a lot on the lore of this world, while still keeping a bit of mystery (especially when it comes to the Fae, their kingdom, and what has happened to truly cause this hatred towards them).

I did feel as if the beginning moved a bit slowly, but I find that really common in fantasy books because of the introduction to a new world. (So I can easily overlook that.) And it definitely sped up after that (once everyone was introduced and the real story began). I will definitely continue to read this series! And would definitely recommend to any fantasy lover.

Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! My review is already up on Goodreads and will be uploaded to TikTok with my monthly wrap-up at the end of May.

The plot of the story is very interesting, an Arthurian retelling set in Camelot, with a log of characters from the original story, but very different in this story.

I found King Arthur to be very infuriating, and ugh, he's a well written villain, but I really hope he stays a villain and ☠️ in the next book. He would really deserve that.

It was a bit hard to accept how naïve Morgan is at the beginning of the story, but she got a bit more confident to the end of the story, so I can say she got an arc where she learned a lot of things, who to trust, who not to, and who to protect and defend and who now.

Draven is the bad guy who doesn't fail to protect Morgan for the really bad guys, I loved how he was written and I know there's more to him, so really looking forward to find out more about him in the next books.

Loved the banter between the two of them, very slooow burn tho, hoping for more action in the next books. 🤭🤭

I was lucky to get this as a free ebook (the whole set actually) from Netgalley, and boy, am I thrilled I did! It's a richly immersive fantasy tale with a slow-burning plot, blending Arthurian legend with a fae twist. Our protagonist, Morgan, is Arthur's half-sister and part fae, while Arthur himself is portrayed as a rather unpleasant character. He dispatches Morgan on a quest to find Excalibur, accompanied by Draven, a member of the King's guard. However, Morgan soon begins to suspect that Draven might have hidden motives. As their journey progresses, Morgan and Draven grow closer, only to have their burgeoning relationship complicated by the arrival of Vesper. The dynamic between the characters is electrifying, filled with banter, tension, and just the right amount of romantic chemistry to keep readers hooked. The twists are SO unexpected. I'm currently devouring the sequel and can attest that the story only gets better from here. This gem of a fantasy romance deserves more recognition, and I sincerely hope it finds a wider audience!

Born into a life of duty and sacrifice, Morgan Pendragon’s destiny has never been her own. Rumored to carry the tainted blood of the fae in her veins, her birthright is stolen from her when she is a mere child. Growing up in the shadow of her brother the king, she has been promised to the goddesses when she comes of age. So, when her brother commands that she seek out a fae weapon of legendary power, Morgan seizes the chance to break free from the chains of her fate.

This is the first book in a four-part series inspired by Arthurian legends. It is not a retelling however, as the plot differs considerably. Briar Boleyn draws from the stories of King Arthur but put a completely different twist on them, including gender-swapping some of the characters.

I found the book a little slow to start, but the pace picked up towards the end and I am very much looking forward to reading the other books in this series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Starwater Press for providing me with a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review:
⅘ Stars

Firstly, I would love to thank the author, Briar Boleyn, NetGalley, and the publishers for this book and the opportunity to read this beauty.

I loved the world-building in this book. It is a slow-burn book, but once you give it a bit of time, you do get sucked into it quickly.

If you love a book with immersive worldbuilding, captivating characters and a storyline that keeps you hooked, I would 100% recommend this book. It's the perfect mix of romance and fantasy, with beautiful writing that makes reading a breeze. 3

When picking up this book, just remember that it is part of a developing series, and right at the end, you will be left with so many unanswered questions that you’ll be begging for the next one.

I will pick up the next book in the series when it comes out, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

Firstly, thank you to the author and her team for sending me an arc of this book to read. It was SO GOOD. ❤️

*I would recommend checking the triggers if you want to read this book. There are some dark themes in the beginning of this book that some might find triggering.*

With that said - if you want an immersive dark fantasy retelling of Camelot then I would highly recommend this book!
This book has quests, fae, folklore, mythology, a rag tag group of characters with a morally gray MMC, and fantastic world building with notes of romance.
This book follows Morgan our FMC who is the princess of Camelot and also part fae. She is sent on a quest by her human brother (that you will love to hate by the way) to retrieve Excalibur from the abandoned fae city because for reasons unknown she is the only one who can get it but she has to go with our MMC Kairos.
I absolutely loved Morgan in this book. She has quite the tragic backstory but chooses to still fight for herself and her kingdom.
I also loved our dark and broody MMC Kairos because he is always our voice of reason even if he’s grumpy most of the time.
This first book left off on such a big cliffhanger that has me with more questions than answers and I cannot wait to dive into the 2nd book. ❤️

By the Three, I don’t even know where to begin! This book HOOKED me from the beginning! The story was very easy to digest and left me turning pages as fast as I could. The way the author told the story had me fully immersed. Typically I would like to see romance sooner, but the slow burn, enemies to lovers, in this book was PERFECTION! When we met her brother, Arthur, who is now king of Camelot I wondered if this was a King Arthur retelling and by the end it definitely seemed so, but I loved the twist on it with Morgan being Fae and all of the other mythical creatures and beings intertwined in the story. Some parts of the story may have seemed drawn out and unnecessary, but when you get towards the end and pieces of the puzzle start to click you realize it was all very important and necessary.

I finished this and immediately downloaded the next book! That cliffhanger was INTENSE and I cannot wait to see where the rest of the story leads!

This is one wild ride of a book.

It starts off slow, a lot of world building, but once it gets going, hold on.

Morgan really goes through the ringer throughout the whole book, honestly, I am surprised how well put together she is all things considering.

I felt that the writing was easy to read, easy to follow, and then it keeps you wondering what more can really happen for Morgan.

Excited to jump into the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press publishing for my DRC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Briar Boleyn for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Wow, I was really blown away with this! I was hooked from the very beginning. The world building was done beautifully and loved the characters. Had a really fun time.

"Queen of Roses" by Briar Boleyn is a spellbinding tale that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy and romance into a captivating narrative. Set in a richly imagined world filled with magic, intrigue, and danger, Boleyn weaves a story that will transport readers to another realm and leave them utterly entranced.

At the heart of the novel is the character of Elara, a young woman thrust into a world of courtly politics and dark secrets when she unexpectedly becomes the Queen of Roses. As Elara navigates the treacherous waters of the royal court, she must also grapple with her growing attraction to the enigmatic Prince Rowan, whose motives may not be as pure as they seem.

One of the most compelling aspects of "Queen of Roses" is Boleyn's masterful world-building. From the lush gardens of the palace to the forbidden forests teeming with mythical creatures, every aspect of the world feels vivid and immersive, drawing readers deeper into the story with each turn of the page.

Boleyn's prose is lyrical and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the world and its inhabitants. The dialogue crackles with wit and tension, bringing the characters to life and adding depth to their relationships.

The romance between Elara and Rowan is beautifully developed, simmering with tension and longing from their first encounter. Boleyn expertly crafts their relationship, allowing it to unfold organically amidst the backdrop of political intrigue and danger.

In addition to its engaging plot and well-drawn characters, "Queen of Roses" also explores deeper themes of power, loyalty, and the nature of true love. Through Elara's journey, Boleyn examines the sacrifices we make for those we care about and the strength it takes to stand up for what is right in the face of adversity.

Overall, "Queen of Roses" is a must-read for fans of fantasy and romance alike. Briar Boleyn has created a rich and immersive world populated by compelling characters and filled with intrigue and romance. Prepare to be swept away by this enchanting tale from beginning to end.

What a wonderful read this was! It had me hooked from the beginning. A Camelot/King Arthur retelling that I didn't even know I needed! The world-building and character development are amazing, and the story was nothing like what I was expecting. It's a very slow-burn romance, but I loved the interaction between Morgan and Draven, and the cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more! I can't wait to devour book 2.

Thank you to NetGally and Starwater Press for proving a digital copy of Queen of Roses (Blood of a Fae Saga) by Briar Boleyn in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, please check your trigger warnings, there are many topics that some readers may have difficulty with. I was pleasantly surprised with this first installment of the Blood of a Fae series which I typically find to be a little underwhelming but this one was an outlier. Boleyn did a fantastic job creating a world that I felt sucked into and couldn’t put down. The last dozen or so pages left me with so many questions and extremely eager to jump into book 2.

I received this arc in exchange for honest review..

This book started out kind of slow, but it had an intriguing plot to it. The more I read the more it picked up. The main character fell a little flat for me but I feel like there’s a redemption coming. The ending totally shocked me and tied it all together nicely. Excited to read the next one in this series.

Born a princess, Morgan's life has not been idyllic. Her mother died when she was young and was supposedly part fae. Her younger brother bypassed her to become King and she is expecting to devote her life to the temple. However her brother had other plans and send her on a journey to the former fae lands to try to retrieve a fae weapon.

This book has references to the tale of King Arthur and Excalibur. Personally, I am not that familiar with the smaller details of that story but those that are may not like the liberties taken for this retelling. As the first book in a series, this story starts off rather slowly, however that is sometimes needed to establish the characters and plot. I was frustrated by the FMC and I hope she has some character growth throughout the series.
The ending cliffhanger was spot on and definitely made me want to continue the series.

Thank you to net galley and Starwater press for access to this book for my honest review.

Look for my review on Goodreads and Instagram @booklover_tara

4 ⭐️

Overall I enjoyed this book. It started out a little slow before Morgan set out on her journey. It really picked up after that. I am hoping there’s more to Draven and Morgan’s story because I enjoy them together and had reservations about Vesper (for good reasons). Also I hope Arthur gets what he deserves. The ending has me a little puzzled but also makes me excited to continue the story as I have so many unanswered questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and starwater press for this arc!

Review has been shared on goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63342028

fae meet King Arthur/Camelot tales! this was an interesting read to say the least, there was so many minor details that hinted towards that ending which were so well woven into the story! the story was enticing, there was so much at stake and so much built up, it kept me on the edge of my seat! the ‘love triangle’ feeling to it was a bit meh, glad that was cleared up because she moved very quickly with everything in her life once she left camelot! as for morgans character, I liked her, at times she gave a bit of ‘I’m not like other girls’ vibes but despite that she was a good character with a lot of depth and personality too her! and for draven, I loved him a lot, I’m glad his mystery to his character stayed the same and we didn’t get his povs, seeing him only through morgans eyes gave that mysterious vibe, but we could see his caring side despite the grumpiness! overall, a good first book to this series that kept me hooked!