Rating: (3.5/5)
Review:
I adore the cover of this book! 😍

The beginning was lacking a decent amount of context. It made me feel like I didn't read a previous book because it just jumped into the story and I was expected to know what happened beforehand. I struggled to get into this. It didn't keep my attention at all. I can't speak for the final copy of this book, but if you don't read the synopsis you'll be even more confused when you start this.

The world-building was easy to follow, but I wanted more, if that makes sense. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters. They lacked development besides the MFC I love a good slow burn, enemies to lovers, but this fell flat for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Press, & the author for this ARC. *All thoughts & opinions are my own.*

The Serpent and the Wolf
Rebecca Robinson
Rating: 5 Stars
✅ Reluctant allies to lovers
✅ Mysterious magical powers
✅ Political scheming
✅ Arranged marriage

I enjoyed reading this book a lot. The romance is perfection. Reid is the perfect book boyfriend because he is a supposedly ruthless and intimidating ruler who deep down has a kind heart. Vaasa is hardened and somewhat standoffish, but it is for understandable reasons. Vaasa is cunning and intelligent, and her first meeting with Reid is too good. The book had a good mix of both political intrigue and also action. I didn’t expect to enjoy the political aspects as much as I did, but I really loved seeing Vassa’s scheming and I appreciated the intelligence of her character.
I definitely hope to read more books by this author.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

World building, politics, slow burn, enemies to lovers, “my wife", magic, slow burn, twists and turns, and politics, arranged marriage, fake dating, found family, "who did this to you"

What more could you ask for??

I'm Dnfing this at 20%...

I am not sure why, but me and this book are not meshing well. It has some good things going on (a grumpy girl, hate to love, magic, viking/Sinbad vibes) but I keep checking out of the story. I will come back to this closer to release date 😭😭

Woah! I absolutely loved this! Fantastic debut from Rebecca Robinson! I have a feeling this one is going to be popular. When I saw the blurb from Kate Golden I was immediately intrigued and I was definitely not disappointed!

We immediately start off the book with Vaasa being forced by her evil brother into a political marriage with an enemy kingdom leader, Reid, The Wolf of Mireh. The Serpent and the Wolf begins with a political alliance and political intrigue persists throughout the entire novel. Our FMC is a political mastermind and it is fun to see her scheming throughout the story. I think fans of The Bridge Kingdom would really like this. Our FMC and MMC have a tumultuous and, at best, strained beginning to their relationship. The slow-burn romance was done really well and, to me, felt quite natural and realistic. Overall, here is the TLDR:

💜Political Intrigue and Scheming 
🐺Slow Burn 
💜He falls first, and hard 
🐍She tries to kill him 
💜Uncontrollable magic that could kill the FMC 
🐺Forced/Political marriage
💜Enemy Kingdoms 

This review would not be complete if I did not mention the banter! Reid and Vaasa are two SASSY people 🤣Ugh, I am a sucker for good banter (especially enemies to lovers banter 🥰) and Robinson definitely delivers.
Here is a little taste:

“Marital spats are no fun, or so I’ve heard. Not that my wife has been around long enough for me to discover their level of joy.”

“I almost killed you on our wedding night.” …
“As I told you, you underestimate how much I enjoyed that.”

“I’d rather be eaten by wolves.” …
“Call me a wolf whenever you’d like, Wild One.”


Just a heads up, this is marketed as a romantasy debut but I would say this is more of a fantasy romance (fantasy book with romance as subplot). If you are going into this thinking romance is the main plot, you might be a bit disappointed. But I can definitely see the sequels being more romance-centered. Romantasy is a bit of a tricky genre to pin down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Vaasa Kozár, daughter of an emperor, feels that she has been cursed with this mysterious shadow magic ever since the death of her mother. In a politically advantageous match, Vaasa's brother forces her to marry Reid of Mireh. Vaasa escapes from Reid on their wedding night, and she is desperate to learn whatever she can about the magic that is making her sick. Reid offers her a deal that she cannot turn down. He will help her learn how to control her magic, and he will legally divorce her after three years. In return, she will help him navigate this political world that he is about to enter as he becomes the new leader of his country. Vaasa learns more about her past and her feelings for Reid grow.

This couple initially reminded me of Khal Drogo and Daenerys, but something was missing and that comparison went away after the halfway point in the book. Reid is supposed to be this amazing fighter and strategist, yet he comes across as very weak and not strong in a fight. The relationship building was fine, but the writing felt a bit flat and trite. Some plot reveals at the end were a bit predictable. Fans of Thea Guanzon may enjoy this book.

I thought this book might be on by Did Not Finish pile after the first few chapters, but by about a quarter of the way through, it got better.

The book starts with our main character, Vassa, escaping from her husband, Reid, on her wedding night. With only vague details of how she manages the task, we next find her masquerading as a student in temple in a foreign city, trying desperately to find information on the magic she possesses, which she believes to be a curse.

Despite the awkward start, the story does pick up once the more political details of the plot emerge (after her husband Reid, who is an elected official in his nation of city-states, finds her again). I still struggled a little with Vassa as the main character, as she seemed a little thin in her motivations and reactions. She literally has never had a single friend in her life, and is highly confused when she makes her first one, yet she simultaneously had a lover she cared for- really? But Vassa is not a fool, despite her inter-personal naiveté, and her contributions to the political campaign of her husband were interesting, and the complexities of the interactions between the different nations and the city states were well-formed.

The main antagonist is Vassa’s brother, the emperor, who would prefer Vassa to die rather than threaten his claim to the throne (which she does simply be being alive and married). He hoped her magic would kill her, and married her off in the hopes her death would be an excuse to invade Reid’s nation. But instead of dying, Vassa discovers ties to her new home that she was unaware of, and a method of controlling her powers. As she realizes her desire for freedom might have changed into a desire for a home and personal bonds, she is forced to make a decision that will change the fate of two nations. There is clearly more to this story to come, so I assume another book is planned in this series. 3.5 stars.

I would recommend this book for fans of the Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon, and The Light of the Oracle by Victoria Hanley.

Review to be posted on Fantasy Hive closer to the release date.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The Serpent and the Wolf was a great slow-burn romance with tons of political intrigue and was just a genuinely fun read. I loved the world-building, and the magic system. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

It took some time to get into the book but once I did I enjoyed it more. I would have liked to of had more interaction between the main characters. It just seems like Reid and Valssa didn’t really even spend any time together or even get to know one another or even speak to each other and all of a sudden they love each other. I did enjoy the different concepts of how magic is used. That was something new. I also even enjoyed the political aspect of the book. I definitely didn’t see all these surprising twists that are unfolding with all the villains coming out of the shadows but it’s definitely making things interesting. The last line from Reid at the end of the book definitely has me wanting to read the next one so I can see where he goes from here and figure out what all is going on. Overall it wasn’t something that would be considered one of my all time favorites but it’s definitely something I would probably recommend to others to read because it’s not a bad read.

4.5 🌟 thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for the gifted arc!!
I absolutely loved this. It’s very heavy on the political intrigue, so if you don’t like that, this book probably isn’t for you. This had such a good balance of romance, politics, and world building, and I think this has a ton of potential to become a great high fantasy series.
I really liked the FMC, Vaasa. She was strong-willed, intelligent, and likable, yet still flawed as a character. She struggles with her own demons and makes a lot of progress throughout the book.
The MMC, Reid, was great too. I absolutely loved the banter between the two, and you know it’s going to be good when there’s a dagger to throat scene at the very beginning of the book.
The betrayal at the end had my jaw on the floor. The last 20% of this book had me simultaneously wanting to scream and puke. And the cliffhanger is rough. You know what hurts? Knowing this is an arc and realizing I’ll have to wait a hot minute for book 2.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I loved loved loved this! It hit a lot of my sweet spots. Such delectable political intrigue, a marriage of convenience where they become allies, a slow burn, all so good!

Rated this a 4.5 stars. What an opening night to a debut. Really enjoyed the storyline and the unique magic system in this world. Plot focuses on political intrigue with romance being the subplot but nonetheless I devoured the book. The romance is a slow burn but once Vaasa and Reid get together, it is magic. Cannot wait to continue this series!

Absolutely brilliant start to the series. This was a fun and fast paced book that I really enjoyed. Building up on a marriage convenience to them being allies to falling for each other, with a lot of political intrigue to keep you hooked, this book hit all the correct notes and so very well! The cliffie ending really left me wanting more immediately! I want the next book already!!

4.5⭐️ (rounded up)
1🌶️

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for the e-arc of The Serpent and the Wolf.

Forced into a marriage with a leader from a rival land, Vaasa will do anything she can to escape and gain her freedom. Freedom from her current country and her new one. Upon discovering a dark magic brewing within her though, her new husband strikes a deal with her that entices her to stay. Dark forces are at work from all around her and Vaasa must learn to control her new power, while also maintaining the right image to those around her, never knowing who’s truly her ally or enemy.

I was intrigued by the blurb for this book and I must say, it didn’t disappoint. This is a fast paced, quick opening to the story and world. Full of lots of political intrigue and a unique magic system.

I liked the twist away from traditional enemies to lovers. It’s more like enemies to reluctant allies to lovers. This is definitely slow burn but the banter between Vaasa and Reid is very entertaining to read. We have only a couple scenes of spice and I will say I wanted more from those scenes honestly. I don’t mind when there may only be 1-2 scenes but I then want those scenes to just fully deliver. I felt these were like allllllmost there but I was left wanting more. Hoping future books will crank it up a notch

This book does end on a cliffhanger but sets up for a next book nicely. There were a few twists and turns I did not expect, which was nice. It’s never fun when you can fully predict a book and I didn’t feel that way with this book.

Overall a unique story. I really enjoyed reading it and look forward to future books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for gifting me an arc to enjoy in exchange for an honest review.

The Serpent and the Wolf is a debut romantasy about a marriage of convenience between rival kingdoms. We start with Vassa whose mother has just died from a mysterious magic that seems to be inside her. Her brother marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless leader hoping to use Vassa's death as a catalyst to invade Reid's nation. Determined to live, Vassa uses her political prowess to help Reid rise to power. In exchange, he'll let her go free and help her with the dark magic coursing through her veins.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ll start by saying this is not a romantasy as advertised. Just like The Cruel Prince series, romance is a subplot here. We focus more on Vaasa's healing and magical journey than her romance with Reid. Vassa has such deep-rooted trauma and we really take our time digesting and learning why she is the way she is. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The world-building is not complex and is well-written. I’m so ready for the next book.

I recommend this book to readers who loved Nesta's journey in A Court of Silver Flames. This is definitely a book you should take a chance on. I promise you won't be disappointed

This was a good fantasy book! It was a great start to the new series. The magic system was great and I feel like I was there in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

First, the good - this book starts with a bang and several tension-filled scenes back-to-back which hooked me in immediately! I loved the political intrigue, the writing style, and the character complexity.

That said, I liked this book, where I was truly expecting to love it, and perhaps I went in with expectations set too high, because I was left feeling a bit empty through the reading experience. Not one aspect made this a four-star read vs. a five-star for me, but rather the combination of a few factors, including:
- the pacing was not consistent; many stretches in the middle were long slogs to get through and I found myself skimming
- the romance was a much slower simmer than I expected, and while I very much appreciate a lack of insta-love, I feel there was opportunity to create more tension-filled scenes than we received
- I didn't vibe with the FMC; I love a good morally gray herione, but I just could not emotionally connect with Vaasa

I would recommend this book, especially to readers of YA and NA fantasy that love a good enemies-to-lovers romantic subplot and I likely will purchase a copy for my classroom library, as well.

📖 SPOILER FREE BOOK REVIEW | THE SERPENT & THE WOLF @rrobinsonwrites

I never include star ratings in my book reviews here because they’re subjective based on your experiences & likes, but I have to tell you all that this is five freaking stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. And I won’t be shutting up about it for a long while. And the way I threw myself into the couch at the end like a big baby?? It’s that good.

This is Rebecca’s debut novel and I’m absolutely blown away. The political intrigue is beyond anything that I’ve read and I am a slore for a fantasy book driven by plot and not just romance (even though you’ll get a good helping of it). Some parts were a little bumpy but by ~25% of the book in I was so engaged. And by the end? Hot damn.

In addition to top tier world building & politics, you’ll eat this up if you:
* are a fan of the Bridge Kingdom by Danielle Jensen
* are a Nesta fan
* swoon over cocky flirts who are consent kings
* love found family (baddie witches aplenty here)
* eat up fake dating

Two things to note:
* I wouldn’t classify this as a romantasy necessarily if you care about titles. You’re not going to get a TON of romance but I’m still so down bad for Reid & Vaasa.
* This is not a standalone book (I wasn’t aware and now I’m in mourning)

All this to say that I will be beside myself until the next book comes out. Because the ending?? The hottest mic drop I’ve ever witnessed 🎤🥵.

Release date: Nov 19, 2024

Thank you to @sagapressbooks @rrobinsonwrites for my first ever ARC!

🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

First of all, thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a breath of fresh air. This story felt very original and stood out among lots of other romantasy books I’ve been reading. I would say this book is more political but I loooved that! Sometimes it’s what you need. The romance and world building was chefs kiss. I’m unwell after that cliffhanger but I can’t wait to read what comes next.

A few years ago (okay a few more than a few, but be gentle--the COVID years really warped my sense of time) I had the realization that I had outgrown YA as a genre for me to enjoy as myself as a reader. I couldn't relate the characters or their problems any longer. I saw too much of the genre collapsing into specific sub-genres that fed off each other in an oroborus of tropes. (thankfully, while YA is now firmly in my rearview mirror thanks to my age, it seems to have broken back out of its genre shackles).

However, I now find I'm feeling the same way about the "romantasy" subgenre. I find the genre to have collapsed into the tropes that made it popular; most of the offerings aren't much more than the sum of their tropes. The books are marketed based on tropes, whether they fit it or not. Many of the heroines are interchangeably "badass" in a way that reminds me of Twilight's Bella--the heroine has to be enough of a reader insert to market. And if the authors can shove anything similar enough to Maas' ACOTAR characters in, so much the better for their marketing. (notice how much of this is marketing--not the authors. I truly believe authors are writing interesting things, but publishing is flattening the genre).

And unfortunately, while Robinson has a solid writing style and clear talent, The Serpent and the Wolf suffers for all of the above. I found Vaasa a difficult character to connect with. For the first two-thirds, it felt as though she didn't have a clear personality or interests. She and Reid absolutely do not have an "enemies to lovers" relationship. I didn't find the political intrigue to be much more than surface level interesting.

I do think Robinson wrote the relationships between women in interesting and nuanced ways. I wish that that had been the focus of the book. The coven, the idea of matrilineal magic, and the sisterhood these "witches" share was genuinely good writing and allowed Vaasa to have more character when interacting with them. I didn't need another generic "enemies to lovers" romantasy--but a fantasy with a laser-sharp focus on sisterhood and finding your own power with your sisters would have a welcome addition to the genre. And I'm not just wish-listing; there are elements there that could have been teased out.

So all this--and I know it's a long review no one will give a damn about--is to say, The Serpent and the Wolf isn't for me. Perhaps romantasy, in its current iteration, isn't for me anymore. However, I think plenty of readers are going to like this because it plays to the tropes that romantasy is cashing in on right now, and Robinson has quality writing that deserves its fans.

Thanks to NetGalley and S&S/Saga Press for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.