This book pulled me out of the worst reading slump and fully brought me back to life! Our Vicious Oaths was an absolutely addicting romantasy, packed with political drama, rich worldbuilding, and some seriously hot scenes. Kadeesha is that girl: fierce, empathetic, and a total force as a leader, backed by her equally badass Nkita sisters who do not play about their mission. And Malachi? A cocky, womanizing king on a revenge tour who was not ready for Kadeesha to shake up his entire world.

Their dynamic? Fire. The tension? Immaculate. I was locked in from beginning to end and already planning a reread. I need this in physical and an audiobook immediately because this story lives rent free in my head now.

Thank you to the publisher for the galley. This book was so good. Has everything you want from a romantasy. The tension and spice were there. The drama. Wickedness. I enjoyed this so much and didn’t want to put it down. There has to be a book 2.

I had high hopes for Our Vicious Oaths, but it sadly didn’t live up to its potential. I love the pretty cover so much but the words inside not so much. The premise had so much promise and potential I was so excited, but the execution fell flat and disappointed me.

The romance felt rushed and overly focused on physical attraction without any emotional depth or believable development. Kadeesha is introduced as a fierce, capable warrior, but her character is quickly reduced to someone who loses all of that the moment Malachi appears and is around. Their connection just utterly lacked in the substance department, and the constant flirtatious banter grew tiresome, cringy, and eye roll worthy fast.

What really took me out of the story, though, was the disconnect between the serious tone of the world and the misplaced spicy scenes. Like really?

Malachi’s character came across as immature man child to me who was lust-driven. I couldn’t take him seriously as a ruler or love interest. The world-building was shallow, the pacing dragged, and any potential for deeper conflict or slow-burn tension was drowned out by superficial interactions. Some parts felt more tell than show. I was looking for a meaningful fantasy romance with depth and stakes, this simply wasn’t isn’t it.

This book was everything I didn’t know I needed. It’s giving high fantasy with sharp edges. It’s giving world-shifting prophecy. It’s giving “what if my grief made me ungovernable?” and honestly, I ate it all the way up.

Kadeesha is the bloodthirsty FMC of my dreams. Heir to the throne, bonded to a flying serpent-dragon hybrid, and powered by grief, rage, and zero tolerance for betrayal. She’s been underestimated, trapped, and told to stay in line—and now she’s setting fire to the whole system. If you like your main characters bold, brutal, and born to burn empires down, welcome home.

Malachi pops up and drags her straight into his world and his war. And listen—he’s not just the “dark and broody” love interest. He’s a man on a mission with layers, legacy, and a deep-seated hunger for justice. But what really sold me? He doesn’t try to outshine her. He sees her. He respects her fire, moves out of her way when needed, and honestly? He’s just as caught in her orbit as I was.

Their tension is thick, their banter bites, and when it’s time for the spice? Let’s just say cheeks are clapped and crowns are claimed.

But what really sets this book apart is the world. Davenport built a rich, layered realm full of kingdoms that can’t stop betraying each other, winged beasts that bond for life, old gods, court games, and yes—there’s a prophecy hanging over everything. Every alliance feels fragile. Every decision has consequences. And at the center of it all are two people too powerful and too angry to be controlled.

This is the kind of standalone romantasy that leaves you full. Like yes, I want more, but I also feel like I lived something.

Final thoughts: How far would you go if vengeance was your inheritance—and power was the only language the world respected?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

I absolutely LOVEEEED Davenport’s Blood Trials series so I am super disappointed that this one just didn’t come close. The romance, the characters, the worldbuilding … just none of it held a candle to her other series. The pacing felt off; there was sooo much political discussion that seemed to take up a lot of the book and it really slowed the pace down. Kadeesha and Malachi’s relationship started to evolve more in the end, but I just could never get into the rest of the story.

dnf 10%. i have absolutely no interest in this :( i have seen GREAT things about it so i was hoping to love it but im not a fan of the writing style so far and i dont want to push through

A new shadow daddy has entered the villa and his name is Malachizrien Diamundis. Malachi if you’re Kadeesha.

Thank you to @AvonBooks and @HarperVoyagerUS for an advanced copy. The only reason it doesn’t get five stars is because I need another book and I fear I needed it yesterday.

There isn’t much that I didn’t like about this book.

The enemies-to-lovers trope was fantastic.
The forced proximity trope was everything.
The plot was plotting.
The spice was spicing.

Kadeesha and Malachi are the Black faes that I didn’t know I needed but am glad to have met. Everything about this book was rooted in unapologetic Blackness and I loved every bit of it. From the all Black courts to the grillz being worn, the way @niadavenport sets up this story was addicting and engaging.

The swagger of Malachi had me giggling and kicking my feet.
The badassery of Kadeesha and her Nkita had me yelling “knuck if you buck.”

I don’t know if this is connected, but I kept thinking about Prince (all the purple imagery) and Appolonia when I read.

At any rate, read this when it drops in October. If you have an ARC, read it.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this but unfortunately I will not be finishing it.

I made it about 25%? I struggled with a couple of things. Kadeesha is this bad ass warrior but whenever Malachi that all goes out the window?? Tbh I didn't really like Malachi as a character either. He just seemed like an ahole. It also seemed like it was more spice than plot which, while a negative for me, may be a positive for some.

Black romantasy (!!!!), badass FMC, MMC with issues, forced proximity – all signs point to loving this one, but sadly, it wasn't a hit for me. Am I being a hater or was the pacing actually off? I typically read with the lights off, as my friend says, meaning I am fully here for the vibes and not necessarily to be sorting out every plot point. In this case, I felt like I would get engaged and then everything would grind to a halt and we would be back in political humdrum with no drama happening. Then boom! Action! And so on.

I'll probably pick this one up again closer to pub date and give it another chance, but for now, I'm going with 2.5-3 stars. Someone – many someones! – are going to be obsessed with this for sure, but I was not.

At a glance, this story had so much potential. The idea of the two main leads working together to bait a common foe, whilst fighting their own feelings sounds like a yearning and pining gold mine, however, the execution was lacking.

I didn't mind that the two leads hook up at the beginning of the story. I actually found it unique that they hooked up before the plot really hits, and then have to see each other again in the aftermath was interesting. Again, this could have been a wonderful set up for navigating awkward pining, but instead, we get constant sexual quips and banter that quickly becomes incessent.

Kadeesha is always addressed as a badass, no nonsense lead, but she turns into mush when Malichi is around. She devolves into this "what's wrong with me?" narrative, and falls for his shallow lust. There's nothing strong or empowering about it. She melts into him with no courting or believable wooing.

Malachi is also depicted as a strong ruler, but in a scene of interrogating people, when the idea of torture comes up and Kadeesha reprimands it's use on children, Malachi responds with the thought of wanting to bed her. There is a lack of time and place for these spicy scenes. We're literally being confronted with the prospect of torture for information, and this future king-ruler of a bunch of people-is thinking about getting her to scream his name in bed.

It makes taking this story seriously very difficult. How am I supposed to believe that he will be a worthy ruler when all he's thinking about is getting laid instead of his court? How am I supposed to believe that Kadeesha is a strong, fiery woman when she lets this behavior go unchecked? How am I supposed to believe in their love when all we see are lustful interactions with zero moments of getting to know one another?

I suppose if you like the spice and talking dragons of Fourth Wing, you might enjoy this as well, even though the dragons are lacking in this. But if you're looking for a fleshed out political world with a yearning slow burn, this is not it.

Thank you #NetGalley for the eARC of #OurViciousOaths by N.E. Davenport!

Our Vicious Oaths is a bold, spellbinding leap into a brutal world of fae politics, vengeance, and searing enemies-to-lovers tension. From the first chapter, Kadeesha made it clear she wasn’t the typical fae princess: she's a battle-hardened warrior with a silver tongue and no patience for political games... until politics quite literally blow up her life. And Malachi? Whew. If you love your morally gray kings dark, devastating, and loyal only to their own, he’s about to wreck you. Their chemistry ignites fast (seriously, the opening scenes are a lot), and the tension between them never really lets up.

The world-building is full of complex alliances, cutthroat negotiations, and layered histories between courts. I loved seeing Black fae culture so unapologetically and richly portrayed, from the intricate customs to the sharp edge of court politics. It's clear N.E. Davenport poured heart and detail into this world, and it pays off.

That said, while the book absolutely nails the action, political intrigue, and raw attraction, I did feel it left a little emotional depth on the table. Kadeesha and Malachi have undeniable heat between them, but I kept wishing for more outside the bedroom: more trust-building, more true vulnerability beyond the battlefield and the bed. Their relationship felt rooted in lust rather than a deeper emotional bond.

Look, I wanted to be obsessed. Warrior princess? Angry vengeance king? Flying snakes? (I mean, don’t threaten me with a good time.) This setup had all the ingredients to completely ruin my life in the best way… but somehow it felt like baking a cake and realizing halfway through that you forgot the sugar.

Kadeesha is a boss — we love a woman who just wants to vibe with her murder lizards and NOT be sold off like some sparkly trophy. And Malachi? Certified menace with emotional damage? Honestly, my type. Their enemies-to-lovers chemistry should have melted my face off. Instead, it just kinda… simmered? Like a pot you forgot was boiling until the smoke alarm yells at you.

Now, full disclosure: I’m deep in the trenches of a reading slump right now, so it might be me and not the book. I kept hoping this would be the magical story to drag me out by the hair and shake some serotonin back into my brain… but sadly, it just didn’t hit hard enough.

There were moments I got the tingly feelings (bless the forced proximity trope), but the pacing kept dragging just when things started to get good. Plus, there was a lot of political scheming, and while I’m usually here for a little palace drama, this one felt like reading fae C-SPAN sometimes.

Final Verdict: Fun idea, fierce characters, and enough winged beasties to keep me entertained, but I needed a little more fire and a little less… government paperwork. Still, if you love court drama, morally questionable hotties, and casual kidnapping as foreplay — you might vibe harder than I did.

I restate my original piece - holy $h*! this was good.

Kadeesha is a force to be reckoned with. She is a powerful, headstrong, heir to the throne - trapped in a marriage contract, by her father, to a man who is well known for 'losing' his wives when he bores of them and wants a new one.
Malachi is the newish king of the Apollyon court and dead set on vengeance for the death of his parents at the hands of Kadeesha's betrothed and the other leaders of the southern kingdoms.

When he upends the marriage ceremony - much to Kadeesha's pleasure and frustration - she is taken as a prize and the delicious push-pull of enemies to lovers ensues... and let me tell you - it is HOT.

These two bicker constantly, with neither overly interested in giving an inch. However, as we follow their inner monologue - that 'enemy' viewpoint begins to shift. The final battle is pretty epic and I was so sad when the glossary page showed up - I wasn't ready to leave these two behind.

N.E. Davenport built a rich world full of political intrigue, deceptive court shenanigans, and sheet melting spice. I loved everything about this book, and look forward to more from this author!

*Thank you NetGalley/HarperCollins

Arc review: Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Y’all this is gonna be THE next big romantasy book I’m calling it right now!!!! Our Vicious Oaths an adult, dark romantasy, and it’s giving Children of Blood and Bone meets A Court of Mist and Fury with a dash of Fourth Wing and a tiny pinch of Neon Gods?!!

Kadeesha is the arch princess of the Aether kingdom, who is prophecied to bear a child of dual royal bloodlines that will unite the kingdoms. Her father has been planning for her whole life to marry her of to the High King, Rishaud. Kadeesha has been arguing against these plans with no avail, and on the night before her wedding, goes out for one last night of freedom. She unbeknowingly meets Malachi, king of the Apollyon court, rivals to the Aether court. Our characters get thrown into conflicts between courts, while simultaneously dealing with internal treachery, creating high tensions, intense action scenes, and so much spice. This was the first book I have read by N. E. Davenport, but her other series has been on my tbr forever, and I’m pumped to read those now too. I would highly, highly recommend adding this book to your tbr, it comes out October 28th!!

Our Vicious Oaths has:
Shadow daddy
So dark morally grey it’s almost just black
Badass fmc
Dragon sidekick
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and die
Prophecy
Politics
Magic
Incredible side characters and found family
Diverse cast

Oh. My. Goodness. SO GOOD!!! The characters, the story building, the smut!! Honestly I took my time with this book because I wanted give it the attention I felt it deserved and I’m glad I did. N.E. Davenport knocked it out the park with this one (and tea is I’m not a big fantasy reader like that!). There were sometimes where it dragged on but overall a beautiful story. 4.75/5 🌟

NE Davenport had me giggling, kicking my feet and screaming!!! This book had me feeling every emotion imaginable. And one main factor of this book is that it is HOTTT. The fantasy, the plot, the chemistry, the lust, the spice, the vulnerability, and the action was just all there for me. And like I said before this was HOTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!

The story of Our Vicious Oaths takes us to a world of far court politics that are so intriguing, vicious and full of characters that feel fleshed out and wonderful. The author has a fantastic way of painting the world and making me instantly care for the characters and both root for their success and feel annoyed at their very realistic flaws and actions. I was completely hooked from start to finish and I didn’t want the book to end.

The romance between Malachi and Kadeesha is crafted so well. Honestly, I was in awe of it and their enemies to lovers -story was layered, spicy and full of crackling energy. These two are powerful leaders on their own and they both compliment and balance each other so well. I love both of their dark parts and their compassionate parts equally.

I would love to know more about Malachis Cadre and Kadeeshas Nkita sisters and I hope we get to return to this world once more because I’m sure there are lots of stories that can be told. Wow. I am truly in awe of this entire book.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed.  I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.



****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport is a fierce, atmospheric fantasy with everything I love: high stakes, forbidden romance, court politics, and a heroine who refuses to play by the rules.

The story follows Princess Kadeesha, who has been raised to rule beside a powerful king but finds herself questioning everything when she crosses paths with Malachi, the dangerous and brooding ruler of a fallen fae court. Their chemistry is undeniable, and watching their dynamic unfold through a mix of tension, mistrust, and unexpected connection was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Davenport does a great job creating a lush world full of magic and danger. The serpent-winged riders were a standout for me. The political maneuvering is intricate without being overwhelming, though there were a few slower patches that leaned more on world-building than plot progression. The payoff was worth it.

One thing that pulled me out of the story a bit was the complexity of some of the names and terminology. A pronunciation guide or glossary would have helped, since it made it harder to stay immersed at times.

What really stood out to me was the emotional depth. This is not just a fantasy war story; it is about identity, legacy, and breaking free from the roles others try to force on you.

If you are into enemies to lovers, rich fae lore, and strong female leads with a touch of rebellion, this book delivers.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy. I devoured it.

Oaths and promises and other pesky obligations...

In this glorious tale by Nia Davenport, we are introduced to a Nkita warrior princess named Kadeesha. Kadeesha is seen by her father as a capable warrior, but after all she is still just a princess and needs to marry. The way things tend to go between kingdoms, there is political tension and the easiest way to soothe those is to marry off ones daughter. Well, that's how things start, and then everything gets turned upside down...

Throughout the story we explore a rich kingdom(s) with fantastical creatures. Political intrigue and schemes - kissed with a mouth full of spice!
The two main characters have an interesting journey of overcoming things together, but their chemistry is undeniable.

If you are into fantasy and enjoy smut - do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

BECAUSE THAT THRONE! .. you will get the context later!

True fantasy fae warrior princess with animal companions and ..... spice !

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Avon Books for letting me ride along for this adventure!