I requested the ARC for this book on the blurb alone. When I asked for it, the cover was yet to be revealed, and all I had were the title and the blurb. I am so glad that it caught my eye, because I really ended up liking this book.

Rune has evaded the Selection by one of the three immortal races until now. When the druids come to pick their hundred people from the mortal crowd, Rune wants to be selected. When she succeeds, she's led into the land of the Druids together with the others where they go through the process of unlocking their magic. When Rune gets chosen for the rarest of them all, she ends up with the prince of the kingdom, Draven. But can she trust him with her plans?

After revealing fairly soon that Rune is somewhat of a chosen one, this story stays high in secrets and plot twists. Some were to be expected, but others I didn't see coming at all. Some of the reasoning behind systems in the story surprised me. Even immortals have their flaws in this story and they are definitely on display.

The fact that there is some queer rep in this story pleasantly surprised me. From Rune having a relationship with a woman before the story happens, to the option for the changelings to have gender neutral clothing. Although I did miss an embodiment in a character for this last bit.

I also loved the refreshing renaming of mundane things, like birthday being your soul-day. This added an extra element to the story. I also thought the magic system was crafted with care and felt original. I wholeheartedly believe that this book and the next ones to come have the potential to become a popular series.

What I did miss a bit was the development of the relationship between Draven and Rune. In the first part of the story, their relationship seemed to progress mostly off page. I had hoped to see more moments for them to get from that enemies to the lovers territory. But that didn't end up hindering me in enjoying this book a lot.

Lastly I want to thank Netgalley, Zando and Jaclyn Rodriguez for the opportunity to read this eARC. This review is written voluntarily and honestly, as I always do. I hope to see this book in bookstores in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Jaclyn Rodriguez for this ARC!
Wow! Just wow! I loved this book! It had so many elements from books I already hold near an dear to my heart, but to add in Tarot as a magic element, bravo! I have yet read anything to do with Tarot and this inspires me to do so! Draven and Rune are chefs kiss as enemies to lovers ahhh!! Wynter though...I have my eyes on him, something is brewing there. The twists and lies good grief, I couldn't put this book down. I can not wait to see what happens next!

🔥 A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez completely delivered. If you love dark magic, deadly tarot, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers with a ruthless, morally gray prince—you need this book on your shelf.

Rune is a fierce, flawed heroine you’ll root for from page one, and the worldbuilding? Rich, brutal, and impossible to put down. The Forge is every romantasy lover’s dream setting: magic, danger, secrets, and deadly stakes.

✨ Bonus: the limited edition sprayed edges are STUNNING. Grab it while you can—you won’t regret it.

This book, A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez, was SO freaking good 😭🔥
Tarot-based magic? YES.
Snark, slow-burn romance, betrayal, action?? DOUBLE YES.

A fierce FMC crosses a magical wall to find her missing family—chosen in a brutal Selection after mortals lost a war to immortals (Seraphs, Elves & Druids 👀). What she finds on the other side? Changelings, a magic academy, ancient secrets, and a lot more than she bargained for.

✨ Think Percy Jackson camp vibes but darker, similar to Fourth Wing, with SO many twists.
✨ Tarot chapter captions = chef’s kiss.
✨ Cliffhanger ending that will leave you screaming.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 and spice level of 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (about 3.5)
If you love high stakes, slow burns, and twisty fantasy worlds—add this to your TBR NOW. I absolutely am astounded that this was her debut novel. She knocked it out of the park!
Thanks especially to the the publisher and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC
#Romantasy #DebutAuthor #AVowInVengeance #JaclynRodriguez #BookTok #MagicAcademy #TarotMagic #FantasyReads #SlowBurnRomance #2026Books

Rune is forced to journey into the immortal realms to find her family. Her magic reveal forced her to live with Prince Draven.... She develops a dangerous love for him...

Love the magical world. Lots of action straight from the first chapter. Rune and Draven are terrific together. Love the enemies to lovers build-up. A terrific book.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

This book grabbed me from the first scene with its fierce heroine driven by justice and heartache. Her determined quest for vengeance unfolds into an emotional journey where loyalty and love challenge everything she thought she knew. The romance builds with a slow burn intensity that made my chest tighten—every shared secret and stolen moment brought them closer. The world feels raw and intense, full of danger, honor, and the weight of past wrongs. The final confrontation was powerful and deeply satisfying.

If you’re drawn to fierce characters, vengeance-tinged romance, and emotional stakes that cut deep, this one will haunt you in the best way.

This is top tier reading. LOVED THIS. Absolute page turner. So exciting I didn’t want to put it down. FMC POV. New magic system I’ve never read about before, loved it. Strong FMC. Enemies to truce/partners to lovers. The tension between them and their banter was everything.

I loved this story and the magic system! The beginning gets straight into the action. This is an enemies to lovers type of book with lots of tension. The plot is thorough and the side characters really stand out. If you like academy type books with unique magic systems this is a really good book. I will be buying this for my friends to read.


Update: It’s been over a week and I keep thinking about this book.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Utterly Addictive – A Spellbinding Debut Full of Tarot, Magic, Banter, and Romance

I cannot believe this is a debut. From the very first chapter, I was hooked — completely lost in a world where tarot isn’t just decoration, but the foundation of a brilliantly crafted magic system. It’s fresh, immersive, and feels so naturally woven into the story that you’ll wish it were real.

The banter between the main characters is everything — sharp, hilarious, and full of tension that practically crackles off the page. The MMC and MFC have the kind of chemistry you feel, and their dynamic is perfectly balanced with deep, meaningful friendships and found family vibes that add real heart to the plot.

And the romance? Slow burn, swoony, and absolutely worth every moment. I devoured this book in record time — it’s that addictive.

If this is what the author delivers straight out of the gate, I can’t wait to see what comes next. A must-read for anyone who loves magical systems with depth, unforgettable characters, and stories that stay with you long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for the opportunity to read an early copy of this incredible debut in exchange for an honest review.

Jumped into this one blind and was immediately sucked in. Fast, fun, and leaves you excited for more!

Although found the world building a little clunky at times especially as Rune was learning the arcana, and wish it blended with the romantic/character development aspects of the story. I wish there was a little more detail in the scenes between Draven and Rune early on, I think it would've kept the tension between them and had me rooting for them even sooner.

I love that it felt like an amalgamation of tropes/plots into one unique story. Draven is an ideal romantasy mmc and was so easy to be smitten with and Rune's strength was never diminished by his archetype. Overall a familiar (in a comforting way), fun, and fast paced read. Excited to have it in store!

Thank you, NetGaller, and the author for letting me read the Arc versions of this book.
I absolutely loved this book was giving divergent vibes but also the Hunger Games. It was definitely slow at first, but things eventually picked up, and it got so much better. I love this book so much that I would reread it. I will definitely get the hard copy of this book when it's out.

Where do I start! This book was such a good time! A fast paced Romantasy with all my favorites:

⚔️ enemies to lovers
⚔️ tarot card magic system
⚔️ fierce FMC
⚔️ slow burn
⚔️ he falls first
⚔️ training school
⚔️ shadow prince
⚔️ found family
⚔️ touch her and die
⚔️ great banter

This is the debut book for Jaclyn and I will be shocked if it’s not one of the hottest Romantasy books of 2026!

Our FMC Rune gets herself selected in a yearly tradition where 100 mortals are chosen by one of the three immortal groups. She has no idea what happens after the selection but after loosing her entire family to the immortals she is determined to find them. Nothing goes to plan but a new plan is formed with a cast of friends and enemies and of course a hot shadow prince! There is fantastic world building and you’re hooked right from the first chapter! I devoured this book in 3 days! I cannot wait for book 2 to find out where the story goes!

Many thanks to Zando and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book had me so hooked I finished in 2 days!

A Vow in Vengeance has everything I look for in a great romantasy from high stakes magic to wonderfully tense enemies to lovers!

The tarot based magic system brought a fresh twist that was also intriguing, having me hooked from the moment I read the premise. The emotional depth and the determination of our girl Rune gave the book such personality and heart.

The world building? It's immersive. It's rich. It has complexity. Prince Draven is cunning and infuriating (in the best way) and the dynamic he has with Rune leads to some electrifying chemistry.

This book was fast paced, "gripping the edge of your seat" worthy, and made me want to come back for more. I'm on the hook for a sequel!

Oh my GOD is this book good!! I am so sad it doesn’t come out until January because I want to discuss the plot in detail with everyone! I honestly have no critiques. The magic system? So unique and fun. The world? Complex and intriguing. The LOVE STORY?! I will never not be obsessed with Draven. I am going to yell about this book forever. Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC!

A Vow in Vengeance is the kind of debut that grabs you by the collar and dares you to look away—and I didn’t. I couldn’t. From the very first page, Jaclyn Rodriguez plunges you into a vividly imagined world teeming with magic, vengeance, secrets, and betrayal, and I was hooked like a moth to an unholy, flaming tarot card.

At the heart of it is Rune Ryker, a fierce, stubborn, deeply human heroine with a chip on her shoulder and fire in her veins. She’s the kind of character who isn’t here to be liked—she’s here to survive, and if that means stepping on toes or lighting the whole realm on fire, so be it. Rune’s voice felt raw and honest, filled with grief and grit, which made her journey not just engaging, but emotionally gripping.

The setting—a ruthless magical academy known as the Forge, where immortal druids rule with power drawn from tarot cards—is as eerie and enthralling as it sounds. I loved the dark academia aesthetic here: sharp uniforms, ancient rituals, magic with consequences, and that intoxicating blend of beauty and danger. The tarot-based magic system is unique and brimming with potential, even if I sometimes wished for just a bit more clarity in the mechanics. Still, it never detracted from the thrill of watching Rune unlock her rare and dangerous powers.

Then there’s Draven. Oh, Draven. Brooding, powerful, infuriatingly handsome, and clearly hiding more than just scars under those shadows. I adored the push-pull dynamic between him and Rune. Their banter had bite, their forced proximity was deliciously tense, and the slow unraveling of their trust (and attraction) was everything I look for in an enemies-to-lovers arc. They are two broken people circling each other like predators—both afraid, both drawn in, both unwilling to admit how badly they need one another.

And while I didn’t fall head-over-heels for every single moment—there were parts where I wished for more worldbuilding depth, and a few pacing hiccups in the second half—the emotional core kept me tethered. Rune’s loyalty to her missing family, her growing unease with power, and her desperate attempts to carve out something that feels like justice… it all made me root for her fiercely. The side characters added fun flavor too, especially some who surprised me by the end (and who I hope we’ll see more of in future books).

This is a debut that leans into its tropes—dark prince, rebel girl, dangerous magic school, slow-burn romance—but does so with confidence and heart. I can tell Jaclyn Rodriguez has so much more to say, and I am absolutely coming back for book two. That ending? Yeah… let’s just say I shouted a little.

Final thoughts: If you love dark academia, tarot magic, reluctant alliances, and heroines who punch first and apologize never, A Vow in Vengeance should be next on your romantasy radar.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando/Slowburn for providing me this magical and intriguing romantasy/dark academia novel’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. I truly appreciate it!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, there are some unique and interesting aspects to the plot. For example, the magic system revolves around tarot cards. You have a major power and a minor one. Our main characters have the World power, which means you have access to all the powers (as one would assume by the name). It's very very very rare, and of course the main characters (aka the main couple) are the only two who have it. I thought this magic system is kind of interesting. I haven't read too many books where cards are used as magic.

Also, I do like a dark acadmia book, though this doesn't feel so strongly like a dark acadmia book. It has qualities of it, but it feels more like a high school drama than anything else. I also like how this book contains Druids in it, which is something I typically don't see. So this added to the unique aspects that I liked.

On the other hand, I felt as if the romance was too forced. I mean, the guy starts calling the girl "Love" within 33% of the book, even though there was no romantic gestures or whatever. It is a hate-love relationship, but there is no chemistry aside from "we share the same super rare power and are forced to work together". I am kind of interested in Draven (the male love interest) and his political goals. I don't care as much about Rune's because she seems like a really surface level character.

Overall, I thought this book was decent. I may pick up the next one, but I'd recommend this to people who might find it interesting!

I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping, magic-laced story and can’t wait for the next installment! Rune was a standout for me—morally grey, yet still grounded in doing what’s right, and watching her powers evolve alongside her shifting loyalties made for a compelling and layered read.

Draven? Absolutely drool-worthy. The morally grey MMC trope is done right here, and the slow burn romance? It burned—though I was definitely craving a little more spice. The twists and "whodunit" elements kept me guessing the entire time, and I especially loved the integration of tarot-inspired magic. That said, some of the tarot aspects felt a bit repetitive at times.

My only real critique was the ending—it felt a bit abrupt. I would’ve loved just a bit more development to give the conclusion the weight it deserved.

Still, a fantastic fantasy with rich characters, intriguing magic, and plenty of tension. Bring on book two!

I really wanted to like A Vow in Vengeance, but honestly, it just didn’t work for me. The premise had potential, and I thought I was in for an intense, emotionally charged story. Instead, I found it hard to connect with the characters or stay invested in what was happening. The pacing felt off, especially in the beginning, and I struggled to stay engaged.

There were moments where I thought it might pick up, but it never quite got there for me. It wasn't a terrible book by any means, but it just didn't hold my attention or leave much of an impact.

Thank you for the arc from Net Galley!

Wow, was I ever drawn to this novel! Romantasy with a MFC who is not only a POC, something rarely represented in romantasy, but she is also strong, smart, and capable without the help of a man training her.

This book's foundational concept is amazing-tarot card magic?! Sign me up! However-I couldn't help but feel like the fantasy of the book took a back seat to the romance which felt somewhat cookie cutter. How many times do I have to read about forced proximity with a dark, broody MMC who is a bit of a rebel wild card, yet has immediate will they, won't they predicable banter with the FMC? It felt a little been there done that, and I found myself wishing there was wayyy less romance and wayyyy more world building. The MMC Draven has sooo much potential, but I found myself kind of bored with him.

There's an info dump prologue and epilogue, and it turns more into tell and not show. I would much rather the story have started with her journey as a wraith, and her working her way to Selection. Further, the MFC backstory as a Wraith being so glossed over made it hard for me to connect with her-it felt like at the end of the book I didn't really know much about her.

Another thing I also struggle with when it comes to 1st person narrative is a) a lot of tell and not show and B) it's easy for the main character to feel one dimension, which I feel like is what happened for me here. We only see things from Rune's POV so she appears without flaws, and we also miss out on a lot of side character building. All her friends kind of seem the same to me.

Overall, I loved the magic system, and the concept of this book. I just want more world building, more politics, more slow burn.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Rune is a strong Fmc character who wants vengeance for her family after being chosen in the selection. I really liked the world building in this book and the great detail in the magical system using tarot cards as a tool for magic, something I haven’t read in a book before. I enjoyed the academic setting and meeting all the character especially Draven and watching Rune and Draven’s enemies to lovers relationship develop.

I will say throughout reading this book I did notice parts of the story have a similar vibe to the hunger games and fourth wing.