𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐀 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐚 | 𝟒.𝟓 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

For readers of Sarah J Maas, Scarlett St. Clair, and Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne, this epic, slow-burn romantasy inspired by Sri Lankan mythology follows a fierce orphaned young woman with an affinity for poisons and revenge who would do anything to end the reign of heartless rajas—even sell her soul to the most dangerous cursed god of all—the Blood Yakka, Reeri.

This book is a very fast paced, slow-burn fantasy romance based on Siri Lankan mythology. Rameera throws us into the hues of mythology that made me sit and read more about the Sri Lankan Mythology after finishing this book.

Anula and Reeri’s relationship was chef’s kiss. The tension, the banter, the emotional highs and lows—it was all so deliciously messy and compelling. Their dynamic brought a great mix of heat and humor, especially in the midst of darker, more intense moments. The rollercoaster of emotions I felt when there were betrayals, sacrifice and bloodshed is incomprehensible. The revenge plots were so deeply planned yet faltered, but they still found a plan within the chaos. The emotionally attached stakes were really high, which made me sob at times. The plot lines were immersive and the foreshadowing for them was very subtle but made so much sense when revealed.

Overall, this is a romantasy filled with forced proximity, slow burn, yearning, platonic bonds, betrayals and sacrifices,

Thank you to Alysha Rameera and Casablanca Books for a review copy on NetGalley!

** ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5**

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.
Honestly I love to see a book with South Asian representation. It was so different and fun to read with a Sri Lankan backdrop.
I loved Anula, pretty badass and obviously a bit of revenge never goes amiss.
Overall a good read and would recommend to anyone who loves fantasy and poltical intrigue and obviously some romance!

⭐️3.5 stars - Poisonous Revenge⭐️
This book gave me dark vibes, shady bargains, and a heroine caught in a dangerous game. There’s a brooding love interest who definitely knows how to smolder in silence. Plus major bonus points the Sri Lankan mythology woven into the world was so refreshing and unique. I loved seeing lore that felt different from the usual fantasy fare.

Was I entertained? Absolutely. The eerie atmosphere and magical stakes sucked me in even if I got a little lost.

I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their fantasy with a touch of danger and drama. I’ll probably give it another go later to see if my brain was just in a weird mood or if this story’s magic hits stronger the second time around.

~This was an ARC read with an honest review~
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author!!

Her Soul for a Crown is a lush and captivating romantasy inspired by Sri Lankan mythology, with world-building that absolutely shines. Our FMC is a fierce, revenge-driven heroine who wields poisons like a deadly art—I loved her strength, sharp mind, and unshakable focus. The romance was a definite highlight: slow burn, full of tension, and built on that delicious forced proximity trope.

While there were a few slower moments and the side characters could have used more depth, the overall story was immersive and enjoyable. A solid read for romantasy lovers looking for something rich in myth and magic.

Big thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the gifted ARC!

This was an AMAZING book! I loved every minute of it and wish I could erase my memory and read it all over again

Set against a richly imagined backdrop inspired by Sri Lankan history and mythology, this romantasy blends justice, vengeance, and slow-burn romance into an epic tale. The heroine’s desire for revenge—born from a devastating injustice done to her, her family, and her village—feels earned and deeply compelling. Her fight is personal, and the stakes are high.

While the pacing did waver a bit for me in the middle, the strength of the setting, the mythology, and the characters kept me going. And the author’s note at the end added an unexpected but wonderful layer of historical insight. It’s a reminder of how often powerful women are villainized by the lens of time.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
I was pulled in by the cover and really liked what I found inside! I have read a lot of Romantasy and this one was also a fun read. It scratched the itch that I had at the time but found that the pcing in the front of the book didn't match all the way through. The beginning was fast paced and kept my attention I was captivated by the Sri Lankan inspired material and the characters. I am always down for a book where the FMC wants justice and revenge for a past offense and the one that was done to her, her family, and her village was huge. I really liked the slow burn aspect. I have had a lot of face paced romance lately, so this one was needed for me.

Thank you to Sourcebook Casablanca for the complementary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I really enjoyed this on the level of "I was entertained thoroughly," which is good! I did not go into this book thinking it would be groundbreaking, but I was expecting a good time and I think that entertaining books are important. I love a good south asian fantasy and this did not disappoint. Loved the unique magic system, loved the strong female main character and the rage, and I didn't have any qualms with the romance.

So I've been wanting to get more involved with reading fantasy lately so I was truly happy that I managed to get approved for this book. If you are someone who likes some historical fiction with their fantasy genre then this is the book for you. There is also some mythology so that is another pro to consider. The novel also contains a strong female heroine which is also a plus side. Although there are some themes of violence so I would advise that you proceed at your own risk but overall the story is very good.
Our main character Anula has suffered much heartbreak in her life and she has finally prepared for how she wants to move on with her life. She has spent countless hours becoming trained in the art of poisoning. Her next goal is to marry the raja and once that is done she plans to assassinate and take the throne for herself.
Along the way Anula encounters Reeri who is part of the blood yakka. Reeri is trying to reclaim the lost power for his group. The two then decide to team up in order to get their goals accomplished. The two of them are the opposite of each other but they manage to work well together with no complaints.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.

I really wanted to love this novel. From the very first page, the prose felt like it was written just for me—lyrical, immersive, and right up my reading alley. The writing style was exactly what I tend to gravitate toward, so I had high hopes going in.

Unfortunately, the story itself fell short of my expectations. While the language was beautiful, it couldn't fully make up for the lack of emotional depth and narrative momentum. I kept waiting for that moment when everything would click or I’d feel more connected to the characters, but it never quite happened. The plot felt uneven at times, and some character choices didn’t feel fully earned or convincing.

I love when a book has a fun, action-packed opening chapter that tells you about the character, world, AND sets up the story!! Absolute props to the writer for hooking me quickly there.

It didn't quite keep my attention for the entire book, but overall it's a solid, epic romantasy with a slow-burn ship that I imagine a LOT of people will swoon over.

I love it when you care about BOTH characters in the romance. This is quite rare for me with romantasy as it relies too much on tropes rather than building strong personalities, but Her Soul for A Crown really stands out in that regard.

What a fantastic romantasy! The mythology was so neat to experience and learn more about. I mean, you get poison, revenge plots, beautiful imagery, and more. Anula is on a quest for vengeance and is not going to let anyone stop her, and I was here for it. She's ruthless, but we also get to see her vulnerability and rawness, and it makes for such a well-rounded character with beautiful growth. I loved and ate up her budding relationship with Reeri, and they had so much tension and chemistry. The world-building was surprisingly easy to follow, considering all of the deep mythology behind it. This was a stunning story that I will absolutely recommend.

Her Soul for a Crown is a refreshingly dark and ambitious fantasy, woven with the threads of Sri Lankan mythology and a compelling tale of ambition, sacrifice, and forbidden love. From its opening lines, the book plunges you into a world scarred by war and steeped in a palpable sense of desperation.
Anula Ramanayake is a captivating protagonist. Driven by a thirst for justice and a desire to protect her people, she's willing to make morally questionable choices – even bargain away her soul – to achieve her goals. Rameera masterfully portrays Anula's cunning and ruthlessness, but also reveals the underlying vulnerability and the sacrifices she endures.
The introduction of Reeri, the Blood Yakka, breathes a thrillingly dangerous energy into the narrative. He's no benevolent spirit; he's a powerful, ancient being driven by revenge, yet his interactions with Anula spark an unexpected and compelling dynamic. Their relationship is the heart of the novel, a slow burn fueled by mutual respect and a growing, undeniable attraction that defies their initial bargain. Rameera expertly navigates the complexities of their connection, exploring the tension between their opposing goals and the blossoming of a forbidden love that could have catastrophic consequences.
Overall, I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy morally grey characters, complex relationships, and fantasy worlds inspired by less-explored mythologies..

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!