As you read this review I need to first preface with I am The Darkening's biggest fan.

This is by far Sunya's funniest banter filled read. While her previous duology had me screaming shaking and crying, the vibes of this was lighter and more romantic, more reminiscent of Rachel Griffins YA Romantic Fantasy's.

I do wish this book was a duology or at the very least 100 more pages so Sunya could have delved further into the character development and the relationships. I felt not as emotional invested as I wished to be.

gorgeous well-written romantasy with interesting ideas and cool characters. would definitely recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I couldn't get a good enough grasp of the worldbuilding to get invested in this story, which is a shame, because I enjoyed this author's previous books, and I think this story had potential.

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC**

So, this book started off really interesting, but then the writing kept pulling me out of the story. The author tends to repeat the same words within a paragraph. For example: "Fishbones CRACKED under my feet as I crossed the riverbed. The shadow of the cliff was inching across the CRACKED earth."

This happens multiple times, and I only got to chapter 10. Again, I enjoyed the whole mythology about gems, but the writing needs some work.

I have been on a YA fantasy reading streak, so it’s not a surprise that someone recommended I read Embrace The Serpent.

Going in, I had no idea what I was getting into.

Now, if I had to describe my reading experience in one word, I’d say ‘underwhelming’.

Here’s why:

- Saphira’s blurry backstory had me confused from the start. I needed more than quick flashbacks to understand the fantasy world Saphira lives and how it led her to where she is now.

In particular, the relationship between Saphira and Mirandel seemed superficial because of their limited on-page interactions.

- Speaking of Saphira, I absolutely adored her sidekick Grimney. He’s my favorite character. But as much personality as Grimney has, he would have been better with actual lines.

- As a whole, the jewelsmithing plot line is the best part, but it was gradually brushed aside in favor of the romance.

I merely tolerate the marriage of convenience trope. It’s far from my favorite; it always comes across as awkward. I have a hard time getting excited about relationships that start with an ugly situation.

I was already hesitant to accept their relationship and then it sped up so quickly. I lost interest the second the romance started taking precedence.

Bottom line: I could not embrace the serpent in the same way Saphira did.

"Sometimes it happens that a wee little voice in your heart says this is right."

Saphira is a jewelers apprentice who is invisible and would like to keep it that way. When the Serpent King comes to the city to find a bride, one little secret slips and changes her whole life. A marriage of convenience to a notoriously vicious king is anything but invisible and everything she thought she knew is about to change.

I loved this book.
It was such a great fantasy world that felt built enough that I walked away with more answers than I had questions. I think this would be a great intro to fantasy. It isn't an overly intense world to adjust to and understand. The magic isn't complicated and doesn't play into everything that happens. There is a great balance of learning about the world and the magic along with getting to know and understand the characters in a meaningful way. The pacing was really great. It wasn't too fast and didn't miss any elements of the plot that I wanted more information on. There weren't any moments that felt like they lulled and I needed the plot to move faster. I really think this was perfectly paced,

Saphira, while a little immature at times, grew so much through the course of this book. You got to see more and more of who she truly was shine through as she surrounded herself with people that didn't just take from her. I loved the duality of the Serpent King and I think that seeing both sides of who he was, one through the eyes o those that that have never met him, and through they eyes of Saphira was a lot of fun. I also think seeing him through the eyes of his people and family just added to that depth of his character.

This is the easiest book that I have read in a while. I lost myself in the world and the characters and it was so much fun to read!!

Embrace the Serpent is a fast paced YA fantasy about a young woman with a natural gift for jewelsmithing. She hides her real identity while working for a flamboyant man who claims her accomplishments for his own. When her work draws the attention of a king from a far away kingdom she has to step into the limelight to claim the life she truly wants instead of continuing to hide in the shadows. Did I mention that the king is a Serpent King with scales and fangs?
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book which I am giving 3.5⭐️.
I thought this book was a fast paced and fun YA fantasy with a good balance of romance and adventure. Around 60-65% of the way into the book the brakes come off and events happen at such a rapid pace that I flew through the rest of the book without stopping! I really appreciated the author keeping this book as a standalone-no drug out filler and fluff here. One of my absolute favorite parts of this book was the side character Grimsley, he was such a lovable little companion! I will absolutely be posting about this book on my social media (TikTok and YouTube) about this book closer to its release date as I think this was a fun diversion and will make a good summer read for teens.

This folklore-inspired romantic fantasy was such a quick and enjoyable read! It gave me One Dark Window vibes but make it YA and a fast read. The magic system surrounding jewels was super unique, and while I do wish it had been fleshed out a bit more, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. This book is successful as is but I also could see it being expanded into a much longer and more immersive duology. I definitely will read more by Sunya Mara in the future, and this cozy fantasy, marriage of convenience YA book deserves a spot on and YA fan’s shelf. Grateful to Harper Collins Children’s for the ARC!

the writing style was phenomenal, the author did a wonderful job of transporting you into that world. Saphira seemed a bit immature at times, all in all i really liked it and i would read more works by this author.

Saphira is a talented jewelsmith who hides her talents by "assisting" an established jewelsmith. Eventually, her talent comes to light and draws the attention of those in power in her kingdom and even the Serpent King. Saphira must decide if she wants to stay anonymous or lean into her talent. There is so much going on in this book--action, adventure, romance, mystery, suspense. I was immediately drawn into the story and rooted for Saphira from the start. I think this is a strong addition in YA Fantasy.

Add this to your TBR list! I loved The Darkening, and this book did not disappoint. From the start the story grips you. It’s fast paced and has a lot of action and intrigue. Rane is very endearing. Scenes between Saphira and Rane are romantic. I would’ve like to know Rane’s family better. War scenes could’ve been more detailed. But great plot. I wish there’s a follow up book on Mirandel’s story.

Sunya Mara’s EMBRACE THE SERPENT is engaging and easy to fall in love with. The plot moves at the perfect pace, while Saphira may be one of my favorite protagonists of the year. I loved it — and you will too!

I devoured this book with speed. The characters were interesting. The magic system was wild. And the plot was captivating

Saphira is a jewelsmith: she can create beautiful pieces of jewelry that hone the abilities the stones provide for the user. But she’s also in hiding from a horrid past. When she accepts an offer to help The Serpent King of a different realm, her world is thrown into chaos. Can she complete the task that’s asked of her? Can she get over her prejudice against the Serpent King? And can she ignore the connection she feels to his guard?

I love a good stand alone fantasy romance. All too often books are made into 5, 6, or 7 book series, and I don’t always have the time or dedication for that. This kept the story moving, kept the characters interesting, and kept the tensions high.

3.75 ⭐️ This book starts off so gripping, with such a fascinating magic system and a well-built world. The first half-ish pass by but the last part slows down and feels a bit predictable. I really wished it had more depth, but I can’t deny it kept me hooked as it was. Still, it was an enjoyable read, and I’d recommend it 💖

This was a beautifully written book, with such a fantastically written main character. I loved the story, and it was such a compelling plot, mixed into a short-ish standalone!! I love Sunya Mara so much!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This might be the easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given a book.

It was so charming and funny and the romance was perfect and I just loved it.

Saphira was an incredible narrator and MC, she is so awkward and blunt and unintentionally hilarious, she genuinely made me laugh out loud.

Her romance with Rane was so wholesome and he is such a charming, lovable LI, and his banter with Saphira, going back and forth with her blunt honesty with little wholesome inside jokes was so good!

I loved seeing Saphira learn to be confident and sure of herself, and learn how to be brave enough to fight for something (even if she’s still working on the bravery thing). I also enjoyed her taking ownership of her jewelsmithing as something she loves and something that she can do to make a positive impact.

This was just so good. Highly, highly recommend!

This book was just okay. The pacing was a little slow for me. It felt like it would just start to get somewhere and then slow down again. I also was confused because Mirandel loses the necklace and then it doesn’t explain how she got it back unless I missed that part. I did overall like the characters and story though. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own. Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

A quick, fun read! Reminiscent of Gail Carson Levine’s work, which I loved as a kid. The middle drags a bit but the opening was *so* strong. I love how unique it feels despite following a standard fairy-tale-esque formula.

This story is as beautiful as its cover! I had such a great time with this story and I need more! I look forward to what I hope is a super long career for this author!

okay okay. she sounded GREAT by the blurb and this is a gorgeous cover so i thought: why not check it out? and to be honest she ended up being a pretty entertaining fantasy book, if not a little predictable. i had a good time but there were a few pacing issues and i DO wish there was clearer(?) world building.