I feel like I read so many fantasy books that they all just start to blendddd and I can't find anything exciting that stands out to me. This one hit different. I loved the characters and the story. I thought the mythology was really cool and the world building was super easy to follow. I was so pleasantly surprised by this one. If you're on the fence, you should definitely give this a chance!

First of all, thank you so much, Netgalley, for this e-ARC. I'm lucky to have received it! This was an interesting book. I want to start by saying I've never read any Sri Lankan mythology, nor did I have any prior knowledge. That alone kept me reading this book when for a majority of the time, it dragged. It certainly felt like it had a lot going for it with such unique mythology but it just did not a great execution. The first half of the book is so slow, I had to force myself to read it. Then the second half felt weirdly rushed. It took me much longer to finish then I would have liked. I think this is a fine debut for this author, I'd like to see what else she has to write about Sri Lankan mythology or the like but this book just wasn't for me. Too slow, the characters were dull, I had no empathy for the FMC, and I really just couldn't stay interested. It felt like one of those books that that you know you are reading instead of it playing like a movie in your head.

Alysha Rameera creates a breathtakingly unique story with HER SOUL FOR A CROWN. I loved every last piece of this addictive read, which smartly fuses Sri Lankan mythology into a story about a woman who wants to burn her world down and rebuild it into something more just — and the cursed god she aligns with waging a divine war of his own.

Mark my words: this phenomenal book will take the romantasy world by storm.

Her Soul for a Crown
By Alysha Rameera
Pub Date: Aug 12, 2025

"Stories are sacred. They hold deep truths. Yet not all stories are told, nor are they all remembered. Like a leaf on the wind, they disappear. And no one cares."

Before reading this book, I knew nothing about Sri Lankan mythology or its legendary queens. That’s why the author’s note at the end was such a treat. It opened my eyes to a history I’d never heard before. Anula, the first queen of Sri Lanka, is mostly remembered for poisoning her husbands to seize the throne. Isn’t it strange how history often paints powerful women in the darkest shades?

This novel brings Anula out of the shadows and into the spotlight, giving her story new life. When her husband, the king, is murdered, Anula is left in a dangerous world where women have little control over their fate. Refusing to be a victim, she makes a desperate choice: she summons the Blood Yakka, Reeri, a terrifying, cursed god and offers her soul in exchange for power.

What follows is a journey of ambition, survival, and transformation. With Reeri’s dark magic at her side, Anula is no longer powerless. She outwits her enemies, navigates palace intrigue, and fights for her right to rule.

What I loved most is how Anula is portrayed. Not as a simple villain, but as a complicated, fascinating woman. She’s brave and clever, but also vulnerable and flawed. The author lets us see her hopes, her fears, and the heavy cost of her choices. I liked the details about Aula's necklace and how the poisons were contained within it. And I also loved how the pictures came to life and even offered some helpful suggestions ;)

If you’re looking for a historical novel with a twist of magic, unforgettable characters, and a heroine who refuses to be silenced, this book is for you. It’s a haunting, beautiful tale that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Sourcebooks Casablanca for the digital arc!

Worldbuilding. INTENSE Romance. Amazing characters. Tension.
This book was excellent.
Anula & Reeri's relationship. Oh my goodness. I enjoyed them so much. They had such banter, and I love that in a book. They were also messy but intensely in love. The soul-tether?! Come on! Enemies to lovers and forced proximity make them an even better couple.
I have a hard time putting into words how detailed and amazing the world built by this author is. I love it when the worlds are so intricate that it feels real, and Alysha does that in this book.
I was engaged for the entire book. I thought the characters were so well-developed that I couldn't get enough of them. They were so easy to connect with and understand.
The plot was so well written that I can't think of anything to improve upon. The pace was a slow-burn, so just remember that if you pick up this book.
Oh - did I mention this book is based on Sri Lankan mythology?!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful world of complexity and relationships!
Happy Reading!

This book is really promising and I can tell Rameera put a lot of love into it, but I think a few tweaks could have made it much stronger. Originally it was a 3.5 star read for me but I had to dock 0.5 stars for the final scenes (more on this later).

So, what does Her Soul for a Crown do well? Anula is a compelling FMC that doesn't fall into the irritating tropes we see repeated again and again in the romantasy genre - she's clever, cunning, utterly devoted to her cause and leans into her abilities as a poison-maker rather than being some secret ass-kicking fighter. I loved the exploration of Sri Lankan history and mythology, Reeri was an enjoyable love interest and the conflict with the Kattadiya really had me hooked.

As for what could be improved, there were some pacing issues especially in the first 60 per cent of the book and I think it would have really benefitted from introducing the Kattadiya earlier in the story, otherwise the first half just feels like "Anula and the gang look for a relic" on repeat. I would have liked more exploration of the politics of the world and how society functions if there's a new usurper on the throne every few years, so that there would be a bit more weight to everything Anula is fighting for. I'd also like to see how they explain there being a new raja every few days when Reeri's jumping bodies, but that was just ... never mentioned. It would have been great to see Anula taking a more active role in governing her kingdom or her plans for how she would make change when she took over - I don't believe she'd spend her whole life gunning for the throne just to get there and be like "whoops, I don't know how ruling works!". I also think Reeri and Anula's relationship needed a bit more time to develop and some of the characters were just too morally black or white (e.g. the Kattadiya, Bithul, etc.) when making them a bit more grey would have made for interesting interpersonal conflicts.

The last critiques I have are from a craft perspective; specifically, please stop overusing the words 'mayhap' and 'betwixt'. These words are used almost every other page and it drove me insane and completely pulled me out of the world every single time. There were also some passages where it felt like Rameera was more interested in writing pretty prose than making it make sense, which was confusing at times, but that may be down to personal preference.

Finally, I wish the novel didn't end with three back-to-back sex scenes in the last 5 per cent. I have no issue with sex scenes, it just felt like the complete wrong time and place for them and distracted from an otherwise very solid ending for me.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the gorgeous cover and I really enjoyed it so much! This is going to be a hit fantasy. It has everything you want: a strong FMC, revenge, a slow burn romance, poison. And so much more!

This story was amazing! It was very well written and the magic system was very well throughout and unique.

I thought this book would be so much better than what it was. I was rooting for it to get better but it was hard to get through. There was too much going on and not enough context or glazing over very important revelations and plot points. Even from the beginning it was so fast paced and nothing explained

This story is steeped Sri Lankan mythology and though that isn't something I was previously familiar with, I really enjoyed reading about it and could tell the author is knowledgeable and passionate about it. Our FMC, Anula, is compelling and determined to stay on the path of revenge and take the throne to protect her people. I just wish there had been more to her beyond that. The MMC, Reeri, didn't really hit home for me initially. But over time I began to really like him. There are many moments in which a revelation is revealed or a major event happens, and we kind of just skip past it as if it wasn't a big deal. Each aspect of this story had serious potential but I think it was lacking in execution. I did appreciate the ending though, and it made the harder moments worth it. One petty complaint of mine is the use of the word "mayhap" I wish to never hear it again 😅 Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you to SourceBooks and NetGalley for allowing me to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I fear this is another DNF for me. I really was getting into the story within the first couple of pages and then everything kinda decided to take off where it was hard to find it both interesting and it was g easy for me to follow. I think the premise for the book was good. A general idea is I wish the author had decided to mark reeri and anulas pov chapters for ease of understanding what pov we were in. But if I’m frank, I’m not interested in reading this after getting to 15% I can totally see why people would like this but between me getting confused and finding the plot very disorienting, for the sake of my sanity I do think a DNF at this time is necessary. If I decide to come back to it I will but honestly I don’t have any connection to either mcs and not all that interested to find out if I would.

I hope this is a win for some people but I don’t think this will be for me.

Thank you again to the publishers and NetGallery.

Absolutely fantastic. This is going to be one that every fantasy reader needs to pick up. The world building was terrific and the pacing was just what I needed.

Wow! This was such a great fantasy read. I loved the world building and the characters. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this e-arc. I can't wait to read more by this author.

This is interesting. I’m glad I read it but felt like the two storylines that ran side by side weren’t too compatible or fleshed out. There was insta-love and I did appreciate the unique worldbuilding in a Sri-Lankan-inspired world, so if you like those things then you might like this book.

I really wanted to love Her Soul for a Crown as much as I love a slushed Mountain Dew in a hot summer day. The premise: an orphaned poison-wielding badass named Anula, steeped in Sri Lankan mythology, ready to sell her soul to a cursed god named Reeri to topple heartless rajas? It had me vibrating with excitement. Slow-burn romantasy? Mythological vibes? Revenge? Sign me up! But after finishing this book, I’m left feeling like I ate a gorgeous curry that was missing a few key spices.

Anula is a firecracker of a protagonist. She’s fierce, whip-smart, and her affinity for poisons makes her the kind of gal you’d want on your side in a bar fight—or, you know, a royal coup. Rameera’s worldbuilding is lush, with Anuradhapura’s (say that five times fast) golden palaces and shadowy jungles popping off the page like a Bollywood set. The mythology? Reeri, the Blood Yakka, is creepy-cool, like a demon you’d reluctantly invite to dinner because he’s got stories. When the book hits its stride, it’s a page-turner. I stayed up past midnight, ignoring my dogs judgmental stare, because I hadto know if Anula would pull off her revenge.

But here’s where the curry starts to thin out. The side characters—Bithmul and Reeri's Yakkas—are flatter than my attempts at making naan.

Then there’s the whole “three rajas in as many days” situation, which had me snorting louder than my neighbor’s lawnmower. So, Anuradhapura apparently swaps kings faster than I swap Netflix shows, and nobody bats an eye, even during an age of Usurpers? Two new rajas pop up like whack-a-moles, and the entire kingdom’s like, “Cool, business as usual.” The soldiers don’t mutiny. The people don’t riot. The street vendors aren’t even whispering, “Yo, what’s with the raja roulette?” It’s like the whole kingdom’s been slipped a chill pill.

The pacing doesn’t help. The first half drags like my dog when she knows it’s bath time, with too much setup and not enough action. Then the back half sprints, cramming betrayals, battles, and romantic confessions into a whirlwind that left me dizzy. I kept thinking, “Slow down, let me savor this!” A little more flesh on the side characters and a deeper dive into the kingdom’s reaction to its raja speed-dating could’ve balanced things out.

Her Soul for a Crown is like a dazzling costume party where half the guests forgot to show up. Anula’s a star, the romance is okay, and the mythology is fresh, but the thin side characters and head-scratching plot holes keep it from greatness. I’d still recommend it to romantasy fans who love a fierce heroine and don’t mind some gaps—pair it with a mango lassi and enjoy the ride.

3.75

This was fast paced and really enjoyable! The writing style and language used really matched the story- something I have a hard time getting past in other books! I felt like the world she built was so interesting and thorough, and the slooooooooow burn was excellent. All you wanted to do was push them together and the tension just dragged on deliciously. I really liked that!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks for the eARC in exchange for my review!

I really wanted to love this, because it had all the elements I look for in a fantasy romance: a revenge-driven heroine, a pining MMC, political scheming, morally grey characters, squabbling deities, layered power dynamics and a richly imagined world. I also loved that this world was inspired by Sri Lankan mythology, written by an author from that same culture, who was clearly passionate about the subject matter.

And the book does deliver on those elements at first. Anula, the FMC, has endured a life marked by loss and chooses to take control of her fate by plotting to marry the raja, seize the crown, and then kill him. Her plans entangle her with Reeri, the Blood Yakka - a divine being scarred by betrayal. The two strike a literal Faustian bargain to help each other achieve their goals.

I was hooked early on, but somewhere around the middle, the story lost me. There are two parallel plotlines - Anula’s pursuit of the throne and Reeri’s mission to reclaim lost power for the Yakkas - but neither felt fully fleshed out. Neither Reeri’s fellow Yakkas could really keep me interested and make me want to follow their storyline, nor did Anula’s side characters really hold my attention.

Anula, as a concept, is compelling. Her hunger for revenge and willingness to do whatever it takes made sense to me. But despite her clear motivations, I struggled to connect with her emotionally. The world is richly imagined, but paradoxically, it also felt… empty. The side characters didn’t feel fully realized. They mostly seemed to exist to move the plot along rather than to live in the world themselves.

Reeri had potential, and his gentleness contrasted nicely with Anula’s sharp edges. But I didn’t quite buy the speed or depth of his feelings for her. It felt like their emotional bond developed too fast and without enough foundation. While the tension between them was at times entertaining, it lacked weight.

I really appreciated the mythology and the ambition behind the worldbuilding, but something was missing in the execution. I wanted more depth, more immersion, more emotion. In the end, I felt too disconnected from the characters and the story to truly care about what happened.



Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Alysha Rameera, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!!!

4.5 stars!

🌟 the BANTER!
🌟 ENEMIES to lovers
🌟 semi-slow burn
🌟 character development
🌟 meddling divine

Anula has seen her family killed and her prayers for them to be saved be unanswered by the gods. She is on a mission to enact revenge on those that took her family from her. Anula decides to barter her soul for a crown - becoming the first raejina and ruling. A dangerous diety, the Blood Yakka, Reeri answers her plea, forcing them together and making them learn about each other. Anula and Reeri have some adventures, overcome challenges and learn more about each others pasts.

I really enjoyed this book! A unique setting for a fantasy book; I haven’t read anything like it. The character banter was amazing between multiple characters. Anula is quick on her feet and is a beautifully written character. I love the emotional men the author writes. Reeri has been through a lot and is authentic in his emotions which was refreshing.
I struggled a bit with characters entering paintings; somehow it went over my head at times.

I’d absolutely recommend this book to anyone wanting a unique fantasy angle, a strong and determined FMC, and amazing banter.

I think the diversity and inclusion is good and the story telling is great and plot and the themes are good and the themes for characters and story theme are good and great.
I like design for the book and the style of writing is excellent and good. I would love to see more books in this world. And more stories for the characters in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early access to review this book!!

I think this will become a new favourite of many. It has a gripping start, and the FMC is the embodiment of feminine rage.

There’s 2 separate storylines - but I felt like neither of them were especially fleshed out. I couldn’t grasp the stakes and never warmed up to the MMC.
The writing didn’t flow as nicely as I would’ve liked - which rendered some scenes very cropped and unnatural to the storyline. The FMC had a very distinct personality but the MMC was… a bit weird to read about? The aspect of mystery surrounding him wasn’t the best and it did make him feel like a checklist. The romance was extremely lusty and that’s something I struggled with a lot (especially considering it’s marketed as slow burn).
There’s constantly something happening for a good chunk of the book - which keeps the reader’s attention BUT some things happened so fast and weren’t properly explained in the aftermath…
The side characters also had very awkward interactions with the MCs and the conversations felt stilted.

There’s a few instances where a major event happened - and they just moved on without investigating or trying to understand what happened and how… and I was left feeling very dissatisfied with that. I don’t appreciate having to accept things for storyline purposes.

Overall, I think most people will like this. It just didn’t amaze me.