Reimagining the first queen of Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan mythology, Her Soul For a Crown is the story of a girl who would be queen and a demon desperate to break his shackles, both on a mission to claim vengeance and finding something completely unexpected with one another along the way. Anula has spent years calculating how she would seize the crown from those responsible for the deaths of her family and her whole home. Reeri is the most powerful and de facto leader of the Yakkas, the residents of the Second Heavens to whom people turn to in moments of desperation and make bargains; he has spent centuries searching for a way to free the Yakkas from the torment they have suffered. Just as Anula is about to achieve everything that she has worked for, her careful plans are toppled by a usurper and she turns to the last place she ever thought she would, the very Yakkas who failed her years before. Anula and Reeri enter into a bargain where Anula will be granted the crown in exchange for her soul.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and appreciated that it felt fresh and unique. I was particularly a fan of the way that the deities were structured and the way that they were present in the daily lives of the people through the bargains that were struck as well as the many blessed gifts that Anula meets throughout the story. There was something really enchanting about the Yakkas in that they were almost like demons but not really as they operate in a way that is wholly their own, beyond good and evil. It was hard not to completely fall in love with Kama, Calu, Reeri, and particularly Sohon who just wanted a book that he could read an remember the stories. Anula’s drive was truly admirable and I appreciated the way that Rameera has reimagined her beyond the record the historical record of the real Anula.

I found the pacing of this story to be challenging at times. The start of the story felt a little slow as it seemed too much time was being spent setting the board for the story. I can appreciate that things like the Yakkas and the structure of the Heavens is integral to the readers’ understanding so could not be rushed and I do think that the execution was largely done well as I feel like I had a 90% understanding of it by the time Reeri and Anula’s paths crossed. Throughout the story, there were moments where the pacing continued to feel a little shaky but I think that was largely because it would feel as though we were nearing a goal however it was impossible for that to be the case as we had too much of the book left. At no point did I feel as though the story felt rushed so I would say that this story will likely appeal most to readers who are fans of a slow- to medium-paced story.

The blossoming romance between Reeri and Anula was central to the story however I do feel as though it could have been stronger. This book is the definition of a slow-burn with I think three kisses being shared between our characters before the final chapter so it’s a lot of growing feelings and little action. I love a good yearn so this level of slow-burn should have been perfect for me. The problem lies in the fact that I didn’t feel as though we didn’t actually get much in the way of yearning. Their romance was quite understated and I would have liked to have seen more on-page discussions of the way that their feelings evolved and maybe feeling conflicted when they wanted what they thought they couldn’t have. I do think the spice kinda came out of nowhere as well since the majority of this book was so PG.

Can we have a moment of appreciate for the blessed gift bed?! I loved it so much! It was so fun to have this bed cheering Reeri and Anula on and just generally providing comedic commentary to their relationship, it was so much fun!
I think I would have enjoyed a slightly longer epilogue, sitting the joy of the HEA but that is very much a personal preference.

A Fast-paced, slow burn Romantasy that has lots going on. Based on Sir Lankan mythology you have an orphaned poisoneress set on taking the crown and a fallen god.

There is lot of information especially at the beginning to keep up with and I would have liked the side characters to be developed a little more. There were a few things that lacked political depth and had me confused like the number of times the Rajah could change without anything else changing where he seemed to not wheld any political power until he suddenly decides to.

Other than that I enjoyed this story as it was an interesting premise and setting. I really liked Anula, she is a complex character that struggles with the loss she has faces and the line between vengeance and justice.

First of all, the cover art is STUNNING and casually is one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen- hats off to the designer: Diana Dworak. Diana, if I ever publish a book, I'm hunting you down to design mine too.

When I read that this was a retelling of the first queen regent of Sri Lanka and that it was inspired by Tasha Suri's 'The Burning Kingdoms' trilogy, I knew this was going to be a good book.
In an interview, author Alysha Rameera says, "Back in 2019 I came across the story of Anula of Anuradhapura and how she became the first queen regnant in Sri Lanka, and possibly the first in all of Southeast Asia, but the history books only remembered her as a wicked woman who poisoned six husbands to get the throne...Here was a woman who accomplished something only men had been able to, and she's villainized for it. I thought, 'What if she poisoned her way onto the throne because the men doing the job were the actual villains?' As I dove into research I found myself asking the same question about the demons in Sri Lankan mythology, which were seen primarily as insatiable beings of disease and death, so cruel and savage that their leader often had to physically punish them. But, what if they weren't the villains either? After all, it's usually those in power who write the history books, and as we have seen (and are seeing now), being in power does not negate one's ability to be the true villain."

Our main character, Anula, quickly cemented herself as one of my favorite characters ever (anyone else reminded of Malini from The Burning Kingdoms?) We love to see a woman on a mission, who isn't afraid of being seen as a bitch, and gets shit done. *Does anyone have an official counter for how many people she kills/attempts to kill?*
Our male protagonist, Reeri, is also a great counterpart to Anula and stands well as his own character as well. I love how their goals and desires overlapped and weaved seemlessly into the plot.

I would agree with other commenters who say that this is a fantasy with romance rather than the romance being the center of the plot- which I prefer! This gives the characters more time to develop as individuals, without sacrificing those sweet and steamy moments together as a couple.

I also wished for more-developed side characters, though you do get so caught-up in the quick-paced plot and the main characters, that you don't dwell too much thought to them comparitivly. I would have loved extra time with them, but the book did not feel lacking without it.

All in all, I LOVED this book! I can't believe this is the author's debut novel- she writes like an experienced novelist. I am so interested to see what she creates in the future!

I was really intrigued by this concept, especially because it is based on Sri Lankan mythology which isn't super common to have books written about it. However, this book did not keep my attention at all. Maybe because I'm not familiar with it's background, but even then I have read others that have no basis in any actual mythology that HAVE kept my attention. I was disappointed, and honestly did not finish it. There was too much going on, while also not having enough explanations for what was happening.

BOOK: HER SOUL FOR A CROWN
AUTHOR: ALYSHA RAMEERA
PUB DATE: 12TH AUGUST 2025
👸🏽😈👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽😈👸🏽
My first Sri Lankan book! And my first Sri Lankan mythology and it was amazing! I requested this book because it was a first for me and because it was amazing, I can't wait to try other books like this!
👸🏽😈👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽
We have Anuya who's determined to avenge her parents and people who were brutally murdered and willing to do anything to achieve that, and Reeri the leader of the Yakkas (demons), a blood one who's under a lot of pressure to free his family from the clutches of slavery by Lord Wessamory. Through a prayer, both of them were connected and they found out that they have more in common than ever. I liked Reeri, he was gentle, earnest considering what he had gone through. A perfect cinnamon hero. Anuya on the other hand, was the opposit. She's a master at poisoning people, headstrong, but passionate about her people and justice.
👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽😈👸🏽
When they first became tethered, Anuya hated and distrusted Reeri because she thought he had once abandoned her. Anyway, both of them started working together to deliver A's vengeance and people and find the bone blood that would free the Yakkas. It was very interesting and engaging.
👸🏽😈👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽
I liked reading this book! It was such a new experience for me. I learnt s lot of new things and I appreciated that the author made it easy for non-native readers like me to understand the mythology. There's a glossary explaining what was what and the pronunciation.
👸🏽😈👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽
I liked this book, but I would have wanted more on the relationship between Anuya and Reeri. Both of them were perfect for each other and they balanced each other. I loved R's love for A, it was cute! I didn't get enough of them. Secondly, Anuya made a huge deal about being a Raejina (queen), but there was not much about the palace and the drama and being a queen. She got her vengeance, but I really wanted that aspect.
👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽😈👸🏽
This book was an amazing experience and I actually wished it was a series! I want more! I would definitely recommend it, a good read!
👸🏽😈👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏽

I'm torn between really enjoying this book and struggling with it. I did struggle with some parts, and got disoriented in the writing and world-building a few times. But the world-building is unique, as well as the premise of the novel. I don't know Sri Lankan history or mythology and had no idea this was based on actual historical and mythical figures from Sri Lanka until I read the Author's Note at the end. That note solidified the 3-star rating from me - I'd been going back and forth between 2.5-3 stars.

I didn't feel a ton of chemistry between the two characters, but the love they held for each other at the end was gentle and clear.

As a debut novel, the writing does reflect some novelty. However, I could feel the care and consideration the author put into the characters, the world-building, and the plot.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something different than the usual romantasy plot, anyone looking for a sassy, assassin FMC, or a soft, gentle MMC.

Thank you so much for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending me an ARC of this book. I was really excited about this book. The plot drew me in and the cover, but it felt like it took me a while to get into the story and some of the pacing was off. It’s still a very enjoyable book, but it just took a while for me to finish it. This has a strong female main character, Anula and a beautiful mythical setting based on Sri Lankan mythology. I wished the pacing was better and how it switched between the past and the present. Other than that, I loved learning about Sri Lankan mythology!! I’ve never read a book that showed that cultural representation.

I love a strong FMC with a beautiful and mythical setting, however, I felt like I had to really push to get through a lot of this story. There were many moments I enjoyed, however I feel like the writing may have been a bit dense for my taste. I did like the overall plot of the story, I just feel like the pacing was a bit off and back and forth.

Her Soul For A Crown is a compelling and intricate fantasy. It took a bit for me to get into it, but I soon got hooked on the magic system and Anula’s journey. Anula has always been underestimated. When her family was stolen from her, she became committed to revenge. As Anula schemes to get closer to the throne, she meets Reeri the fearsome Blood Yakka. They strike a bargain, but one with a terrible price. How far will Anula go for revenge?

Anula has an incredible journey in this book and I loved her character growth. I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover. Anula is willing to go to the ends of the earth (and to the heavens) for revenge. Reeri is a mysterious being who has the power to give Anula what she wants - for a price. As Anula and Reeri get closer, they learn that they are bound together until their bargain is fulfilled. The romance between Anula and Reeri felt a bit off in terms of pacing, it felt very slow burn and then sped up abruptly. I still enjoyed it though! I enjoyed the banter from side characters as well. The history behind the real life Anula was fascinating. Readers who love a woman set on revenge and intricate magic should check out Her Soul For A Crown.

Thank you to Alysha Rameera, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Alysha, you are a Divinity for the written word!
I was wondering if a poison wielding orphan would have enough bite to pull a tale along, and boy, was i in error!!! The story weaves itself around political skirmishes, divinity rebellions and how the people caught in the crossfire cope... the story had several wonderful slew of characters like Bithul, as Alfred, Premala as the acolyte who finds her voice, Reeri, the Yakka who suffers from guilt, and our heroine Anula, who's path is never easy but filled with plot twists and turbulence!!
What particularly drew me to the story is Anula remains the primary lead character even though she's playing on a field where divinities and elemental powers are at play, her growth and choice of what she truly wishes to be, comes to fore!!
A spectacular standalone, slow burn with a feisty female at the helm, magic, divinities and mayhem galore - if that doesn't jolt you to pick up this book, not sure what will..

Thank you to Casablanca source books and Netgalley for the ARC! It was a pleasure to read!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advance reader copy and to Sourcebooks Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I found this to be such a unique romantic fantasy. Based on Sri Lankan mythology, it features a world of gods, curses, and magic. After her entire village is slaughtered, Anula yearns for revenge. She learns how to use poison and has a list of names to pursue while she attempts to marry the Raja and become the first Raejina.

It took me a moment to get into the story and feel like I understood the world and many connecting parts. I think this is one where I do recommend reading the synopsis, even though I usually don't.

It has parts that are somewhat gruesome, but I didn't find them overly graphic. And the motivation for revenge was more than understandable.

I think this is correctly described in the marketing at romantic fantasy. The romance was definitely secondary to the fantasy elements. I'm not sure I fully bought the romance, but I was incredibly drawn to the various character arcs and growth.

I greatly appreciated the author's note about the first queen in Sri Lankan history. That added so much to my enjoyment of what I had just finished reading.

The audiobook was narrated quite well by Shiromi Arserio. Her pronunciation helped me stay in the world of the fantasy.

Rounded up to 4 stars

Burn? 🔥 Achingly slow. Tension? Excruciatingly painful.

This isn’t just a story of love, it’s a story of absolute surrender to get back the person who stole your heart.

I loved the prose in this , it was so wonderful.
Our characters are well-developed, and layered. The inclusion of immortal beings was interesting, and the female lead is extremely strong. Anula is wicked with her poisons, and Reeri likes it. 🤭😏 She does everything in her power to protect her people and I appreciated that. Even when it means she has to disagree with the so called ‘leaders’. She stands up for what’s right.
Reeri is the god Anula summoned to help her. But let’s just say they find themselves…much more tethered than they liked.
The tension was delicious.. slolooowoww buurrrrnn done right I was literally fighting for my life. Anula and Reeri were so perfect together it had me clawing at the walls trying to get them to do more than accidentally touch. I liked the atmosphere and culture represented.

Lovely story highly recommend.

Thank you to the publishers on Netgalley for this earc. Happy release!

I don’t even know where to start with this one... Her Soul for a Crown was absolutely phenomenal. I feel so lucky to have received an ARC, and if I gave ratings beyond 5 stars, this would be one of them. This is a standalone marketed as an epic, slow burn, romantasy, but honestly, it reads more like an epic fantasy with a romance subplot. And that “slow-burn” is slooooow in the best possible way.

The magic system here is heartbreakingly beautiful and rooted in Sri Lankan mythology, which makes this world feel so rich and unlike anything I’ve read. Some of the vocabulary is in a different language, of course, and while it takes a minute to understand, it quickly becomes part of what makes this book so immersive.

Our FMC, Anula, is such a fierce, determined heroine... the kingdom's rulers took away her family, orphaning her and ultimately lead her to train to overthrow them. She's trained in politics and poison as a concubine to infiltrate the crown. She's got this single-minded almost blind drive for vengeance and it gets complicated in the best way by Reeri, the cursed Blood Yakka (think demi-god) she bargains with. Their bond is so much more than forced proximity. It is tense, layered, and built so meticulously that when the emotional moments hit, they hit.

I would say this is epic in scope but the characters feels so real and intimate. I can’t stop thinking about it, and I can’t wait to see what Alysha Rameera does next. I am so entirely impressed with how well she fit the incredible world-building, nuanced romance and magic system into a standlone book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The start of the book definitely reels you in, Anula (our main girl) is a fiery FMC from the start. The writing style and its world were unique, and it left me wanting to keep reading, to see what would happen.

There were words in the book that I had no idea existed.

You could feel Anula’s rage through the lines written. Her reasoning for learning the skills she’s acquired, her mission. Her relationship with Reeri. Though it started from a bargain turned into something powerful.

It was the first time I read Sri Lankan inspired fantasy, and I liked it a lot!

If you like a badass FMC who takes men’s hearts, than this is a must read!

Personal Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

TIL next review
Ally

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for this early copy of Her Soul for a Crown. Unfortunately, this was a DNF at 32%. I really wanted to love this book, this has been such a highly anticipated read for me. Ultimately, this book left me confused from the moment I started. It was difficult to keep up with the story being dual POV and the chapters not being labeled. It was also confusing when we switched between past and present so quickly. The world building was all over the place for me and I had so many questions about the basics that just weren't answered for me.

Otherwise, I loved the Sri Lankan mythology and was really interested to learn more. I loved the cultural representation and thought the concept of this story was so unique. The main character Anula is such a strong, poison-weilding fmc which was fun to read about. I would've loved a little more clarity on Reeri's character in the beginning, but the more I learned the more intrigued I was. At this point in the book, I would've loved to have a clear understanding on the world and where the story was going, but was sad that this was not the case.

Her Soul for a Crown is a very violent, dark, heartbreaking, exciting, beautifully-written book!

Anula is a badass and she was so completely compelling to journey with. The romance between her and Reeri was not my favorite honestly—I didn't find his chapters interesting at all and actually felt like he was not as solutions-oriented as he could've been.

The overall pacing was a bit up and down for me. Which is obviously normal, but the times that it was down was really, really slow for me. To the point that when I was in those places, I found it hard to pick up again if I put it down. But on the other hand, the parts that were up were spectacularly fun and engaging! The story is heavy with Sri Lankan lore which I feel like is mostly missing from Southeast Asian representation in media, so I really loved this aspect of the story even if I found some of the lore challenging to keep up with. One thing I wish is that there was a pronunciation guide in the BEGINNING of the book! I don't tend to look at the table of contents for ARCs so I didn't find out about that until I was finished and it really would've come in handy. I also wish there was a map but that is a very personal preference.

Would read this author again!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

(Paused at 23%)

Her Soul for a Crown is giving more Poppy Wars than Sarah J Maas at this point in the book. And don’t get me wrong, Poppy Wars is an incredible book. It’s just very violent and dark and took me about a month to read.

I am having a hard time with this because I’m currently really enjoying romantasy books that feel like a romance, instead of a fantasy book where two people happen to fall in love, if that makes sense? I want our strong FMC to have SOMEONE to confide in, instead of just facing trauma after trauma.

I’m giving this 3 stars even though I might be DNFing it because it feels like so much of this is a me problem and not a book problem. I will come back and update this if I end up coming back and finishing this one!

I would recommend this to readers looking for female rage, and an FMC who will risk it all to get revenge.

I really enjoyed this book! I really loved the characters, plot and setting!! I think Anula was such an interesting character and watching her growth was amazing! I was rooting of all the characters and cared for them! I liked how Reeri was carrying guilt but he did not need to carry it and the burden was lifted eventually. I did find the lore interested!

3.5⭐️
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca, Net Galley, and Alysha Rameera for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC!

One of my many ongoing reading goals is to diversify my reading and what better way to do so than with a romantasy inspired by Sri Lankan mythology? If you’re picking up this book, make sure to check out the author’s not at the end for the reasons behind how Alysha wrote this story, because it is fascinating!

Her Soul for a Crown follows Anula, an orphan after her village was all but destroyed, who made it her life’s goal to marry the Raja, poison him, and take the crown for herself in a form of justice for her family.
But when a usurper attacks the palace, killing the raja and derailing Anula’s plans, she must pivot, deciding to bargain her soul to the cursed yakkas, in exchange for her place on the throne.
The Blood Yakka Reeri hears her offering, and after waiting eons for the chance to kill his own lord, he accepts Anula’s bargain, tethering together until their goals are met, or they meet their fateful end.

This book definitely has some rises and falls, parts that had me on the edge of my seat, and others that had me wondering when it would be over. I think overall the book started strong, the world building was detailed, perhaps a bit too much but if you have a general understanding of Sri Lankan history and culture, that helps for sure.
We meet Anula, our bad ass girl boss poison queen, who honestly is a refreshing character overall. Even during times when you think she’s going to give up or fall back because she’s a woman, she doesn’t, and it really held up the story.
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to love the romance subplot, I could not stand Reeri. His POV chapters just seemed to drag on and I found myself not feeling any sort of emotional reaction to his story. While I’m glad that things worked out, I honestly felt more tension and potential romance between Anula and Bithul (even though I’m not sure about their ages but still).
The story definitely has the potential to be memorable, but something overall was missing. Even thinking back on it now, I know that there were a few fights that broke out and some gruesome imagery was used for one or two deaths but other than that it felt almost glossed over? Maybe it was an attempt at making Anula an unreliable narrator but I feel like so much detail was missed.

Either way, I did enjoy the book, even surprising myself with a few tears at Anula’s character development at the end, I think I just was expecting a bit more.

I loved it!! This book took me by surprise and I enjoyed every minute of it!!

This was a high stakes fun romantasy that hooked me from the start. There was a lot going on with political intrigue, mythology, and cosmic balance!

I enjoyed the Asian inspired mythology and the unique cosmic balance concept. I really enjoyed the Yakkas! They were interesting and I liked their personalities!

Anula was an intriguing character for sure! I loved her strength. She was fierce and determined and willing to do whatever it took for justice. I enjoyed her journey and how she really came into herself in the end.

Reeri was perfect! I loved his loyalty and love that he had for his family!

The two of them together were a lot of fun. I enjoyed the push and pull between them.

Tropes to enjoy here are Asian inspired mythology, slow burn, female rage, poisoner FMC, morally grey characters, forced proximity, hate to love, dual POV, cosmic balance, revenge driven heroine, political intrigue, Sri Lankan mythology, twists, betrayals, sacrifices, bargains, and so much more!