I really enjoyed this fantasy tale! Saphira is a great main character and well written. I can't wait to read more books from this author!

Saphira is a jewelsmith, even though she hides it, partly because she was a ward of the emperor, completely at his mercy, which sucks because he had her mother killed. She escaped years ago, and now hides in the back room of a jewelsmith and lets him take credit for her work. Jewelsmithing, in this universe, is a form of magic. And Saphira just might be the best. When her position is threatened, she has to make a quick and desperate deal. Enter the Serpent King: lord of the immortals, and of the last unconquered kingdom that the emperor has his eyes on. He's visiting on pretenses of needing a bride, but really is looking to find a jewelsmith to do a very important job. Saphira manages to meet all the criteria, and so she enters a marriage of convenience with him. Saphira finds herself torn between the distant Serpent King and his sharp-tongued huntsman Rane, and the ideas of what she wants from her life if freedom is an option.
I loved it. The magic system was really unique and I liked it a lot. I liked Saphira, and found her a really interesting character. Rane was a fun character too. The rest of the worldbuilding was original and interesting. Even though the big twist was easy to see coming, I still liked watching it get there.

This is one of my favorite authors now hands down!!!! This fantasy was so interesting and had me enthralled!!! And once the romance picked up OMG it was perfection!!!!

A very fun adventure, and a great take on a classic fable! Saphira was a great main character, and I loved her journey to self-discovery and love.

Embrace the Serpent was a magical journey of a young woman trying to remain hidden from her oppressor. It’s her talent as a jewelsmith that makes it practically impossible to hide in plain sight. Her talent imbues her jewelry with magical gifts. Saphira couldn’t avoid creating these pieces even to save her life. Her need to create is like the need to breathe air or drink water.

Saphira ends up on the run with the Serpent King, as his future bride! He’s mysterious and intimidating with some serious powers. Even so, he needs her help to keep his people safe. Without options, she finds herself allying with the King in hopes of remaining free from the evil that took away her entire family and forced her into hiding.

I enjoyed Embrace the Serpent for all of its close calls, and narrow escapes while on the run. It was adventurous and exciting, while also giving the characters enough time to learn each other. It was a sweet YA romance that is perfect fantasy readers.

Embrace the Serpent is fun self-contained story with unique magic system and dynamic characters in play. I adore the characters, the vibe, the journey Sunya took us on and the twists we endured. Absolute revelation.

A jewel smith with the ability to harness the magic in gemstones has done her best to stay hidden from the public but soon finds herself engaged to The Serpent King, a monster with terrible magic and the ruler of the last free kingdom... her worst nightmare. Saphira has tried her best to stay low and let her mentor take credit for all her work... but when her work catches the eye of someone in particular she soon finds herself agreeing to an engagement to the one person she knows she shouldn't say yes to, The Serpent King, but he is the answer to the freedom she seeks. The King is far more than she could ever imagine... and then there is the handsome huntsman who also catches her attention... but with an empire closing in on her, she'll have to decide where her magic and her heart lies. This book was a fine YA fantasy, it's a good standalone and wraps everything up. I just felt that for me personally the pacing was a bit off, the main character actually was kind of annoying, and the romance wasn't really all there for me. However I do see this being a fun read for other YA readers. I think that YA readers who want fantasy, romantic mystery, and courtly politics will enjoy this one.

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

“I’m not afraid to let people see me. I just prefer that they didn’t.”

I discovered this book because of the authors excellent marketing and was sold from the very first video I saw. And once it was in my hands, I flew through it.

I fell in love with Sephira right away. I think having a sister female main character is something I have been craving for awhile and Sephira fit that role. She just wants to live her life doing what she loves and I loved that for her.

Ranes first appearance on page also grabbed my attention. I was struggling at the beginning of the book on if I wanted Rane or The Serpent King to be the love interest but the author fixed that dilemma for me rather quickly.

I had that time of my life reading this book.

A jewel maker and two potential love interests? Count me in. I enjoyed this YA fantasy; it was a quick read that kept me interested, and I was all for that twist! I think this would make a great palate cleanser or to help get out of a book slump.

I loved this book. It was good. I was entertained and I absolutely loved the characters. A bit confusing at times but I was able to follow a long for the most part. Great job to the author.

This book is SO fun and beautiful!

It feels like a shiny fairytale but with a little twist of darkness. I absolutely loved how this was written. Sunya's writing is simple yet so gorgeous.

The world feels massive and real and so SO magically. The magic and lore in this was so fun to read and felt very unique. The romance and the plot twists weren't the most unpredictable but they were still so fun to uncover.

This story didn't necessarily have as much depth to its messaging or character ARCs as her Darkening duology did however this is a very breezy and beautiful story. I'm so excited for what Sunya has in store next!

Thank you so much for my e-ARC.

So fun!

I stumbled upon this author and book through the fantastical TikTok video marketing and it did not disappoint!

This story follows FMC, Saphira, who is hiding and then on the run from people who want to use her magical jewelry smithing powers. She encounters Rane, the huntsman/companion of the monstrous Serpent King. Saphira becomes entangled with Rane, the Serpent King and a scheme to keep her safe. She also settles into her powers and realizes the good she can do to save the people she cares about.

The setting and vibes are that of magical kingdoms, evil djinns, shifters, enchanted jewels, yearning, a love triangle (ish?) and a complete and stunning stand alone.

What an engaging and fun story! I kept thinking “man, teenage me would’ve loved this!” But then I realized: adult me loves this!! I was eager to pick up this book whenever I got a chance and I am excited to recommend this to others.

Tropes:
Arranged marriage
Hidden identities
Fantasy
Court intrigue



Unique world building, she can harness the magic in gemstones, and each gemstone has diff magic.

I loved the various sayings in this book, and the hilarious thought processing of the FMC. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book with an introverted FMC, and it was well-written.
Honestly, the romance could’ve been better. It wasn’t swoon-worthy and their interactions were platonic at best. Also, the book cover doesn’t match the aesthetic of the book at all. Pink definitely doesn’t go with this book.

🐍This was a dream come true of a book to read 💎 Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC!!

What absolute beautiful prose, world building, the magic system!! Saphira's journey is an exquisite one filled with complicated connections to the characters around her: Mirandel, Incarnadine, Grimney (may he have all the best stones), Rane, and the Serpent King, of course. It's an honour to read through to see her grow into herself throughout the story.

My only qualm is I wish there was more to read!! This is a great standalone, but since it is, in the middle of the book there's so much happening I wish more of those scenes were drawn out especially when characters spoke (i thought I was going to give this a 4 star while in the middle but the last third of the book was everything I wanted). The speed of the series of events sent me on my whirlwind which kept me right in the thick of it.

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First off, the vibes Sunya Mara sets with this story? Chef’s kiss. Want a YA fantasy with a quietly badass heroine who just wants to stay invisible, a magic system that’s actually fresh (jewelsmithing, y’all), an adorable sidekick, and a Serpent King who is cold, mysterious, and straight out of a nightmare? You’ve found it.


Saphira, a magic-wielding apprentice jeweller, escaped the clutches of the djinn Lady Incarnadine and now survives by staying small. Hidden. Quiet.
“Don’t be seen, don’t get hurt.” That’s the mantra. That’s why she lets her vile mentor, Galen, take the spotlight while she keeps her power buried deep.

Galen's arrogance lands her in an impossible challenge, forcing her into a risky deal with Rane, the Serpent King's enigmatic huntsman.
When the job goes sideways, she ends up trapped in a marriage of convenience with the Serpent King.

Later, you get to learn more about Incarnadine and discover she might not be what you first thought. There’s a complicated love-hate dynamic with an old ‘friend’ of Saphira’s who may or may not be working with the djinn. Plus, an evil emperor looms in the background, raising the stakes even higher.

The slow-build trust and emotional honesty between Rane and Saphira? Two trauma-scarred humans cautiously lowering their walls. You know I’m here for that.
Her scenes with the Serpent King? I kid you not, there are moments when you don’t know who you want her to end up with!

LISTEN. I loved the slow burn. I really did. But? I needed more angst. More pages. More yearning. Just a few extra chapters of pining and I would've given it a solid 5/5 without blinking. I adore them, but I wanted to ache more.

On the bright side, the adventure hooks you in fast, there's no boredom, and the tension between the Serpent King and his huntsman? Electric.

The worldbuilding is a standout:
A fusion of Indian folklore, haunting nāga mythology, golems, djinn, and Grimney, the golem sidekick who is quite literally perfect. (MORE BOOKS WITH SIDEKICKS, PLEASE!)
It’s lush, cinematic, and immersive without drowning you in info dumps, which is exactly what you want in a YA standalone.

The pacing is tight, the action fast, and there's the unique jewelsmithing magic system. Overall, this deserves a solid 4/5 stars.

If you love slow-burn romance, marriage of convenience, original magic systems, and heroines who go from hidden to powerful, Embrace the Serpent needs to be on your radar.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Sunya Mara for the ARC.

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I enjoyed the unique magic system and world building in Embrace the Serpent. It's a good book for those new to this genre. No spice - would be appropriate for teens. Although predictle, it was well written. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this advanced copy e-read.

Thank you to Harper Collins, Sunya Mara, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!

This was a decent read overall and I think a lot of YA readers will really enjoy this! It was a little slow for me to get into and I found myself putting it down. I wasn’t super connected to the FMC. Some of the dynamics between the characters fell flat, although there was banter here and there that I thought was cute.
I think the magic system with the jewelry is so unique! I love getting into new magic systems that are different from the “norm” of what’s in fantasy.
While the book was slow for me initially, the ending wrapped up a little too quickly. I feel like this story line would have been WONDERFUL as a duology. That would have allowed for more world building and drawing out the plot a little bit more. It would have also given more time for character development and more depth to the relationships.

The writing was solid and I felt myself wanting to learn more about the world. But mostly, the plot felt very flat at times and needed more substance
3.5 stars

This book gives classic YA fantasy but in the best way. Think Shadow & Bone, Howl's Moving Castle/Studio Ghibli vibes. It's a whimsical tale of magic, bravery and love.

Saphira is a compelling heroine just trying to survive in a world where she has been left to fend for herself and distrust others. Meanwhile, Rane is a charismatic hero forced into a role he hadn't expected to have to take on. But he truly cares about those under his protection and doing right by his people.

If you're looking for a compelling, easy-to-read, fantasy standalone this is the book for you.

I absolutely loved Embrace the Serpent, it was fun and engaging and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I finished it. Immediately preordered when I finished and read it again when it was published!

Sunya Mara had created a colorful, engaging world with fun, memorable characters. I am dying for book 2 and can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC to review, all thoughts an opinions are my own.