Thank you to NetGalley and Jaclyn Rodriguez for this unforgettable ARC!

Let me start by saying: THIS. BOOK. IS. GOING. TO. FLY. OFF. THE. SHELVES.

I haven’t devoured a book in one sitting in months—and this one? I devoured it like I was starving. It has everything. A wildly creative, fresh magic system—scratch that, THREE distinct systems for the three unique races in the book. The twists had me clutching my imaginary pearls, and that cliffhanger??? Jaclyn, my love, how dare you. I say this with every ounce of my being: I NEED BOOK TWO yesterday.

Our fierce FMC Rune? PERFECTION. Not once did she give “annoying heroine.” She’s powerful, grounded, and gave off the exact energy I think of when I picture strong women. She didn’t need saving—but wow, the chemistry between her and the MMC? Chef’s kiss. Their dynamic was electric, and the spice was delightfully on point.

Let’s talk about the worldbuilding: magical animals, magical species, just MAGIC in all caps. The action scenes? Impeccably written—I was in it. And yes, I cried. This book brought tears, thrills, chills, and made my soul do somersaults.

But here’s the warning, dear reader: this book will resurrect you from your reading slump...only to destroy you emotionally and leave you staring at the wall when it's over, putting you BACK into the slump.

Jaclyn Rodriguez—if you're out there, hear my plea: if you need someone to read even a word of book two... I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE. PICK ME. CHOOSE ME.

Okay, I’m emotionally unwell now.
kai byeeeeeee.

This debut has all the markings of a romatasy: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, a morally gray lead. I’ve been obsessed with tarot magic ever since one dark window and I’m so glad to see it creeping into the genre more and more! I find it so interesting and refreshing.

I actually wished we had a bit more world building since I enjoyed the system, but that’s one me cause I love my super long books with a million details haha!

The book is not as much of a slow burn as I prefer, but it’s fast paced and filled with banter and tension. It has typical romatasy tropes and characters but honestly I didn’t mind. Tall and broody - check, snarky fmc - check. But beyond that, there’s found family, adventure, hidden identities. I look forward to see where the story goes!

This one is definitely for the romantasy girls! It's fun and unique with its magic system. The tension was chefs kiss!

With a magic system that uses tarot cards A Vow of Vengeance feels fresh. I loved the world building and school setting. The main character, Rune was headstrong and interesting to follow. The romance had lots of heat.

I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thanks netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I will say this A Vow In Vengeance does not read like it was written by a debut author. There is a mastery of words, plot, and character building that reads like a seasoned writer wrote this. Rune and Draven were so sexy that I was fanning myself through out half the book and most was just for the tension and banter flowing from them. Rune was so amazing she had nothing to lose in entering the Forge but to find her family she would do anything. Also the Tarot magic was refreshing to read about. When Runes magic turns out to be rare she is moved in with Prince Draven who is the only other one to have it. And he is someone she shouldn't trust lol. The cliffhanger end was so breathtaking and heartbreaking but boy does it have me excited for book 2 which I hope releases soon after book 1 does im going to have a bad book hangover with this one thats for sure.

Review was posted July 1, 2025

This story was STELLAR.
The world building and magic system were one of a kind and seamlessly done. The different social classes and their different purposes and respective magic/powers was intriguing and unique.
I felt fully immersed from start to finish.✨

Many of the side characters left lasting impressions from the first meeting. And we all know I love a found family dynamic. While this was more subtly done, it was incredibly done and still fulfilling.🖤

We can’t forget about our fiery, strong willed, incredible FMC, Rune. Or our absolutely perfect winged princeling MMC, Draven. 🔥
Some moments in this book were absolute nail biters, but I’d relive every tense moment to enjoy it all over again. Plus, the slow burn tension and pining was PERFECTION.😮‍💨🖤 our MC’s are simply electric together.

The twists and turns through the story had me wanting to know more, and I had to physically force myself to take breaks because I was so enthralled with this book.

Releasing Jan 2026, you won’t want to miss this one! ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6 STARS — A Book That Owns My Soul Until 2026
There are books that linger in your mind… and then there are books that haunt you until you get your hands on the next one. This book? It wrecked me, in the best way. And the worst part? Book one isn’t even coming out until 2026. If the sequel isn't already in the works, I will personally light a candle and pray to the publishing gods. Because I need more.
This was an easy 6-star read for me, blown away doesn’t even begin to cover it. There’s adventure, peril, three mysterious kingdoms of immortals, forced proximity, fated mates, one bed (YES!), and a magical system inspired by tarot cards that felt fresh, unique, and so well-executed. Oh, and did I mention the slow burn romance? Because wow. It hurt so good.
💥 The World & Premise
Each year, 100 mortals are chosen by immortal kingdoms as punishment for a failed rebellion generations ago. Rune, our fierce and unforgettable heroine, wants to be selected, not out of desperation, but because it’s her only chance to uncover the truth about her missing family. Alone since she was 14, Rune has survived by being sharp, guarded, and completely self-reliant. She doesn’t trust easily, how could she? Survival was her only priority. But beneath that hardened shell is the kind of FMC I live for: smart, scrappy, spirited, and unapologetically strong.
👑 The Romance (and the Prince Who Stole My Heart)
Then there's Draven. Prince of one of the immortal realms. He’s not your typical gray brooder, he’s confident, a little arrogant, and yet still feels like the softest cinnamon roll underneath all that bravado. He’s drawn to Rune immediately but respects her fire. He doesn’t try to smother her independence, he supports it, even when it hurts. Their chemistry? Electric. Their tension? Deliciously unbearable.
🔮 The Magic System
Even if you don’t know a thing about tarot, don’t worry, this book makes the magic system completely accessible. It’s inspired by tarot symbolism, but in a way that adds depth, mystery, and magic without ever feeling confusing or overdone. Every aspect of the worldbuilding, from the lore to the politics to the stakes, feels thoughtful and fully realized.

If you love romantasy with high stakes, emotionally complex characters, an addictive slow burn, and a rich, immersive world, this is the book for you. I’m not just recommending it, I’m begging you to read it. Just be prepared: it will own your heart and leave you screaming for more.
Bring on book two. I’ll be first in line.

Pretty cool debut—I do wish the story was a little bit longer and had some more world building. Rune is a super cool FMC and a total baddie. I think this is perfect for romantasy readers, especially the ones that love a good slow burn!

A Vow in Vengeance is the perfect mix of dark academia and fantasy.

The magic system being built around tarot was fascinating. I've read a lot of books with elemental magic but using it through the lens of the the minor arcana - just yes. The major arcana translating into magical abilities - also yes.

<blockquote> Until fate has her say, and time washes away the name on my grave..you are mine. </blockquote>

The banter. The tension. The romance.

While we have the trope of the dark-and-shadowy mmc, and the special-haired-savior-complex fmc, the heart of them brings a rawness to them adds a deeper layer. Draven has his sarcasm and innuendos but they come across much more charismatic than jerk (which some authors really seem to struggle with). Rune, while hardened by life, hasn't fully closed off her heart. As those around her support her, you see some of the cracks being healed.

I loved the characters, I would have loved a bit more world-building. The magic system was clear and thought out but I would have absolutely loved more immersion into the magic education. Girl, let me go to tarot magic class with you.

Although the take on magic is so different, there are a lot of familiar tropes. I don't think this is a bad thing honestly - they're popular tropes for a reason. Jaclyn Rodriquez was able to deliver the moments I crave (looking at the singular bed) in an unexpected way.

Honestly, a lot of the book was unexpected in the best way. The ending? Took me out. I actually need the next book immediately - I have to know what happens. I also need to know if my theory is right.

A Vow in Vengeance will be one romantasy's next hits. I'm calling it now.

<I>Thank you to Jaclyn Rodriquez, Zando/Slowburn and NetGalley for this digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.</I>

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

A Vow in Vengeance // 4 stars

So I really enjoyed this book! When it first started out I wasn't too sure about it. The creatures in this book are different from your usual vampire/ werewolf/ fae so that sets the book apart in the beggining. I do like the tarot magic in this book. I think it makes things intersting. The best part is the enimies to lovers storyline. I did enjoy the romance and the banter between the two main characters. There were also some twists and turns that I didn't see coming that kept me on my toes and super interested in the story. If you like fun banter/ magic/ and fantasy I think you will really like this book. I am definitely looking forward to book 2 in this series. I feel invested in this story and can't wait to see what happens next.

Very solid 4⭐️! Tarot magic system, dark academic, dark feathered winged MMC? I signed up for that eARC so fast- this was a lot of fun - it just ended a bit too soon!

“We are written into the other’s stars, our paths unbreakably intertwined. You have entangled yourself in my soul, your thorns rooting between my ribs, and I cannot breathe without thinking of how sharply I want you. You are my vexation, my obsession..” Draven is yet another Princeling MMC joining the book boyfriend club 😍

I love a unique magic system and so I had a lot of fun learning this one and there is definitely still so much more to come! We only scratched the surface and for this type of romantasy/fantasy book I need about 100 extra pages which is why it’s not a five star from me.

A solid debut romantasy that I absolutely ate up! I wouldn’t say it’s particularly slow burn but there is tension and angst. Loved the little found family that evolves but really wish we had more time to expand on them along with more in-depth world building.

So exited for the next book in the series!

Thank you NetGalley, Jaclyn and Zando for the opportunity to review this book!

For a debt book this was really really good!

I enjoyed the world building and the tarot cards magic, I loved learning about Rune and how she got to where she is in the end of the book, I loved the banter between her and the princeling, and a few plot twists thrown in to keep you on the edge!

If you love a slow burn but touch her and die vibes and magic tarot cards you will absolutely love this book!

I was drawn to this book by its intriguing premise of tarot magic, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite work for me.

The main issue I had was the information overload. There were moments when I felt bombarded with details, but then other times when I felt like I was missing crucial information. At the start, I took a screenshot of the tarot cards and their associated magic, and I’m glad I did because there were times I had to refer back to it. The magic system wasn’t always clear, and it was difficult to follow at times.

I also struggled to connect with the characters. Rune was fine, but Prince Draven didn’t resonate with me at all. His character felt off from the beginning, and I never really warmed up to him. Since I couldn’t get invested in their romance, it didn’t do much for me either. Without that emotional connection, the stakes felt flat.

Worldbuilding was another hurdle. The information overload made it hard for me to picture the world clearly. I couldn't remember distinct details about the various creatures or people, and I’m pretty sure the druids are associated with the color red? But beyond that, I was lost. I wanted more clarity to help me visualize the setting and feel immersed in it.

Lastly, the fantasy school setting, something that’s becoming more common, just didn’t appeal to me this time. It’s a trope I’m growing tired of, and it didn’t add much to the story for me.

Overall, while the concept was promising, the execution fell short. I won’t be continuing with the series, unfortunately.

This book was AMAZING! Jaclyn did such a great job with this book. Morally grey mmc? Sign me up!
Tarot Magic with forced proximity? AMAZING.
You must add this book to your TBR, you will not regret it.

Thank you NetGalley, Jaclyn and Zando for the opportunity to review this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️
RELEASE DATE: January 13, 2026 ✨

Quick thought:
A debut romantasy with tarot magic and a winged MMC, highly requested on NetGalley? Sign me up!

My brief summary:
Rune Ryker has lost everything to the Immortals and their Selection. Fueled by grief and rage, she spent years training in the shadows, harnessing herself into a weapon.

Disguised and determined, Rune makes her way to this years’ Selection, hoping to find herself positioned to not only dismantle the Immortal society from within, but also to find her family; taken from her in years’ past.

There’s just a few things she didn’t factor in: taking a blood oath, becoming an Immortal, attending a ruthless magical academy, and the devilishly handsome son of the King of Druids, Prince Draven.

Can Rune truly forge her path to vengeance? Or will the blurred lines between right and wrong, love and hate, force her to fail?

Highlights/Tropes:
👤 Single POV
🃏 Tarot magic system
☄️ Forced proximity
👩🏼‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻 Fake relationship
🛏️ Only one bed
🔮 Prophecy
☠️ Touch her and 💀
🪄 Magical items

Characters:
FMC:
Rune
Fierce, vengeful, and isolated.
The former Wraith of Westfall. Moon-cursed. The second in centuries to pull the ‘World’ Arcana. A former mortal, made Druid-changeling.
Rune is a good FMC. She’s strong and determined, and would rather burn the world down than admit defeat. Thrust into an entirely new world, with magic she doesn’t understand, it was interesting to watch her navigate the different situations. Her love and devotion to her family was pure, and watching her untangle her feelings towards Draven made me giggle. Interested to see where her journey will continue in book 2!

MMC:
Draven
Ambitious, determined, and tortured.
The crown prince of Sedah. Holder of the ‘World’ Arcana. A powerful, dangerous, and ruthlessly ambitious Immortal with horns, wings and color-changing eyes.
I liked Draven. He had good emotional depth, and secrets of his own. To me, he felt a little extra Rhysand coded, especially with his physical description and emphasis on the importance of choice, but I feel like that’s true for most MMCs these days. Overall he was a good character, it would be interesting to see his POV for a couple of these chapters though! 🤭

Quotes:
Holding off at this time in respect for the author! But just know: I have quite a few highlighted quotes 🤭

Romance/Spice:
The romance was okay. It was more insta-love than a true enemies-to-lovers. Some moments of tension and some sweet sentiments, but nothing that really wow’d me in the romance department. In terms of spice, two open door(ish) scenes, then fade to black. A couple of kisses. Some steamy language passed via notes. Nothing too crazy!

Overall thoughts:
A solid debut romantasy novel! I have a lot of thoughts and feelings on this one, so I’ll try to summarize them all below.

Pros:
The magic system was super cool:
- though having absolutely 0 understanding of tarot cards or Druids going into this made things pretty difficult 😅 (my own fault). The included list of ‘Major Arcana Powers’ was definitely useful and frequently referred to while I was reading.

Interesting mix of ‘Immortals’:
- Druids, seraphs, elves and mortals. A different mix of ‘immortals’ for a newer romantasy book. A nice stray from the fae/vamp/dragon/wolf-shifter stories that have been taking up the limelight.

The concept of the plot was interesting:
- a magical curse, leading to a messed up world for mortals and Immortals alike. a potential prophecy, and missing magical items. rebellions and secrets in the shadows. definitely cool concepts, and I’m excited to see where the rest of the story will go in book 2!

Cons:
The world building could have been better:
- I felt like some things were rushed. The ARC version of the book was only 385 pages (371 pages of story content) and I honestly feel like it was an injustice.

The politics could have been hashed out better:
- There’s details about a past revolution attempt, though I felt like it could have been much clearer. I know things were left relatively vague for a ~big reveal~, and that the FMC is in the dark so we, as readers, are also in the dark - but the delivery felt flat.

Some minor notes: there were some slight grammatical errors, which hopefully get addressed prior to publishing. and no map was provided in the ARC version, which made it a little more difficult to follow some of the storytelling.

Overall:
I liked it! A solid 4-star romantasy debut. Will be looking forward to picking up book 2 whenever it comes out! Would recommend!

TLDR; A debut romantasy with tarot magic, fake dating, and a dark academia setting. Coming out January 2026!

Huge thank you to NetGalley & Zando for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own ✨

This is a debut novel! Wow, I am excited to see what else this author has to offer us! I really enjoyed this read, it was well paced and the MMC was everything.

A magic system based on tarot cards? Dark academia? I'm here for it.

There were so many things that I enjoyed about this book. I really loved the writing and the characters, but the pacing occasionally felt strange. I would forget a certain aspect of the plot that was supposedly SUPER important because it hadn't been mentioned in a long time. I wanted a bit more yearning and animosity between Rune and Draven. Enemies to lovers this book is not. Maybe it's just me, but it never felt like they considered each other enemies at any point. There was a big of bad blood between them initially, but they were never like sworn enemies. Which is a vital part of ENEMIES to lovers tropes. Ignoring that though, I really enjoyed Rune and Draven.

I felt like there were a lot of side characters that weren't expanded upon enough. Someone died and I had no clue who they were. I didn't make any connections to them so I felt nothing. The characters were compelling, I just would've liked to get to know them more.

I will absolutely pick up the sequel because there is so much potential to this story.

Fantastic slow burn debut!
Loved that this felt different from others in the similar genre. Made for intriguing and interesting reading.
Overall, it was super solid, and I’m looking forward to reading more from Jaclyn!!

This was such an addictive debut. I’ve read a few fantasies lately with card based magic systems and I wasn’t sure how it would mesh with druids and immortal courts but Jaclyn Rodriguez pulled it off so well. I devoured this in two sittings and didn’t want it to end.

Rune is a grief fuelled, stubborn, sharp edged heroine who chooses to enter the Immortal realms, the same ones that destroyed her family, just for a chance at revenge. And then she ends up sharing the same tarot as Draven, the brooding Druid prince who is so much more than a shadowy love interest. Their dynamic is everything I love: forced proximity, slow burn tension, great banter and just enough softness underneath it all to make it hurt.

The magic system was a real standout. Every student at the academy is connected to a tarot card, and the way that shapes their magic and alliances was so well done. I especially enjoyed the chapter openings with tarot meanings it added depth without feeling like info dumping.

If you love slow burn, tarot magic, enemies to lovers with real tension and heroines who burn the world to save their own, this one needs to be on your radar. I cannot wait for book two.

Huge thanks to the Zando and NetGalley for the ARC!

I would love to say this debut is a triumph, but I can’t which guts me. While I overall enjoyed “A Vow in Vengeance” it was tough for me to get into. It seemed to be a very “let’s throw it all at the wall and see what sticks” book. There are a plethora of ideas and tropes that this delves into. Tarot, complex magic system (and by that I mean convoluted), dark academia, immortals vs. humans, warring factions (druids, elves, and seraphs), wyverns and drakes, enemies to lovers, an angsty prince, angry/stubborn FMC looking for vengeance, forced proximity, a thwarted human rebellion, a curse, “touch her and die”, fated mates, marriage of convenience, prophecy and ancient artifacts, royal court intrigue, betrayals, attempted assassinations, etc. All of this seems like it could be great, but it’s really a lot to cram into one book.

The basic idea of using the tarot in this book seemed flawed. They have to draw a card to do magic? Every single time? How very inconvenient. What happens if they lose their cards? Seems like a great advantage for any enemies they may have, as does the idea of being able to taint another’s deck. While the tarot aspect as it relates to powers was interesting, it was sometimes overly complex.

Once I was able to reconcile the sheer mountain of information I felt the pace was adequate. Draven and Rune’s relationship progressed somewhat believably. As characters they were utilitarian, meaning they served a purpose without a lot of flash. They both had some growth from the beginning of the book, but were not completely well-rounded. The other characters made sense in their respective roles.

Finally, the excessive use of ellipses was tedious, and mostly unnecessary. It made the dialogue stuttered and hesitant, which the scenes didn’t usually call for. Taking the majority of them out would make the overall product stronger and more polished.

A Vow in Vengeance is a sizzling debut romantasy that blends tarot magic, high-stakes academy intrigue, and enemies-to-lovers tension into an unputdownable start to a promising new series. Jaclyn Rodriguez introduces us to Rune Ryker, a fiercely selfless heroine determined to reunite her fractured family. In her search for answers, Rune willingly crosses into the Immortal realms, where she uncovers rare, tarot-based powers and forges a complicated alliance with the enigmatic Prince Draven as the threat of war intensifies.

The novel is fast-paced and utterly addictive—I often found myself staying up late to devour just one more chapter. Rodriguez masterfully weaves in beloved romantasy tropes, including dark academia, fake mates, and the ever-enticing only-one-bed scenario, while delivering a fresh twist through her original and imaginative tarot-based magic system.

Fans of Fourth Wing and ACOTAR will find much to love here—especially those who crave romance, danger, and a richly built magical world. A Vow in Vengeance sets the stage for an epic journey, and I can’t wait to see where Rodriguez takes it next.