A solid debut novel!

Contemporary fantasy books aren’t typically my cup of coffee (I don’t drink tea), but I really enjoyed delving into this world. The pacing was a bit uneven, particularly in the first half of the book. However, things really picked up in the second half and the story felt a lot less scattered.

I really enjoyed the different POVs, which added depth and gave us a chance to connect with even the side characters on a deeper level. The characters were complex and felt real—flawed, messy, impulsive at times—which made them more relatable. It was interesting seeing how the different relationships played out. The found family warmed my heart.

Overall, it’s a slow burn, but once it gets going, it’s difficult to put down. And that ending? I’m flabbergasted, and definitely looking forward to book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Princess Of Nothing by Sofia Shab
🌟🌟🌟🌟4/5

Publication Date: 12th August 2025

Thanks to @netgalley and @sofiashab for a advanced copy in return for a honest review.

In a city ruled by magic, what can one powerless girl do?
Brisa has stayed in the background, organising protests and watching her sister fight front line for the rebellion, trying to find her place in the world, where unenchanteds like her are dead weight. But when her sister vanishes, she is thrust into the London magical underworld, when one wrong move could expose her. To survive she has to ally with the evil kings commander. Who is powerful, unpredictable and bonded to her. Will she stay loyal to the cause, or the enemy?

I flew through this book so fast and was hooked. This is the first installment of The Soul Weaver Chronicles. Loved exploring the magical underworld and became attached to most of the characters, also found family. Very excited for the next installment! Perfect for fans of enemies to lovers and forbidden love. The world building pulls you in and the story is beautifully crafted, with a lot of slow burn tension.

Thank you again the Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Princess of nothing is a new adult romance steeped in fantasy and suspense. It is interestingly set in a magical version of London. The FMC Brisa is one of the only people who does not have powers or magic and is human. One day her sister has gone missing. Brisa is determined to find out what has happened to her. She joins up with a group of elites to help operate a rescue mission.

I really like the over all plot of the story and I found it to be a refreshing fantasy story. I was patiently waiting until we found the MMC. I really like it when the hero is introduced later in a book instead of right at the beginning. With that being said, I was confused about her relationships with some of the other characters and found them to be sort of flat. Over all I enjoyed the book and would recommend.

This one was really interesting, but I felt like it really didn't come together much. Brisa is the only human left in this area, and her life now depends on a tie to a ruthless creature - Ace. He would sooner see her dead, but he's forced to protect her because of an ancient bond neither one of them wants.

Searching for her sister has landed her in enemy territory, and she is lucky to be alive. Still fighting to free her friends, she's trying to work with Ace and survive despite everyone else pretty much wanting to kill her. The resolution was a little bit confusing and I'm not sure if there is going to be another book, but I would read more.

An urban fantasy… SO fun!! Overall I can see so much potential for this series. Every trope you can imagine is right here. The one I’m really here for is the enemies to lovers that the author is STILL building through the last page.

The characters were a little confusing I will say. It felt like some of them weren’t needed or just should have been reintroduced to the reader. The first time there’s a change in POV I was also so lost! I do enjoy getting back story from other characters but I was very confused the first time we switched without warning. I enjoyed a lot of the characters - Brisa (of course!), ACE (tourtued soul - tell me more about this please) Greer (ugh so raw and real) and even Frankie! The characters were complex and a lot of them had unexpected paths.

There is action and movement throughout this story which made it very intriguing to read. I was sold pretty early on which made the journey very enjoyable. Overall I had fun and thank you so much for the copy to read early! Ready for #2!

Enemies, secrets, and a soul bond neither of them wanted? Princess of Nothing throws you into a magic-fueled rebellion in urban London — and once things go sideways, they really go sideways.

The story kicks off with Brisa, a human rebel living in a divided London filled with magical beings known as the “Enchanted.” After her sister mysteriously disappears, Brisa starts digging for answers — and that’s when everything unravels. Enter Ace, the dangerously powerful Commander of the Astor King’s army… and suddenly, things get very complicated.

I’ll admit, it started a bit slow for me. Mostly because the worldbuilding takes some time to fully click, but once I got into it, I was hooked. The tension, banter, and slow-burning distrust between Brisa and Ace had me wanting to shake them both and yell, “Just kiss already!” Their chemistry? Top tier. Their mutual distrust and constant friction? Even better.

The political intrigue and mystery kept me turning pages, and the deeper I got, the more I needed answers. But fair warning, this book leaves a lot hanging. The ending felt a bit unresolved, and we still don’t have answers about Brisa’s sister, which made it feel a little frustrating. Like an itch you really want to scratch but can’t quite reach.

That said, I’m absolutely picking up the next book because this story still has so much more to reveal, and I’m dying to see how it all plays out.

Tropes to love:
• Forced proximity
• Soul bond (with all the drama)
• Secret identities
• Secrets, betrayal, and political tension galore


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I just finished Princess of Nothing by Sofia Shab, and I feel like I’ve been cracked wide open.

There are books that entertain you and then there are books that demand something from you. This was the latter. It’s gritty, emotionally tangled, and full of the kind of layered betrayal that makes you question everyone, even yourself.

Brisa, the main character, is one of the most human fantasy heroines I’ve read in a long time. Her loyalty is a weapon, a flaw, and a salvation all at once. She wants to do the right thing, for her sister, her friends, even the ones who’ve hurt her but in a world where being human is dangerous, that kind of devotion is a double edged sword.

Brisa doesn’t just go on a journey. She unravels, and in that unraveling, finds someone she didn’t expect: herself, or at least.... the version of herself that’s been hiding under pain, choices, and impossible loyalties.

And then there’s Ace.

Cruel. Cold. Magnetic. He’s fire dressed in shadows, and everything about him is wrong for her and yet, he burns through the pages. The connection between him and Brisa is laced with tension, danger, and that kind of slow-building ache that makes you scream into your pillow. Is he a villain? A savior? Or just a mirror for everything Brisa is afraid to admit? Their dynamic wrecked me, because love isn’t always pure. Sometimes it’s jagged, confusing, and born in the middle of war.

But the character who truly shattered me was Frankie.

She isn’t the loudest voice in the book, but her pain? It’s deafening. I saw myself in her. In the way heartbreak didn’t make her weaker, it fueled her. She’s the kind of character you want to reach through the pages for, the kind that stays with you long after the story ends. Her strength is a quiet scream, and I felt every ounce of it. I wanted better for her. I wanted her to know that she was enough, and yet, I respected the way she forged her own path through the fire.

Princess of Nothing is more than a fantasy, it’s a mosaic of broken people trying to survive in a world that offers no mercy. There are no easy answers. No clean lines between good and evil. Sofia Shab forces you to sit in the discomfort of gray areas, where sometimes the "right" thing feels like betrayal and doing what’s wrong might just keep you alive.

It’s raw, complex, and emotional as hell. This book didn’t hold my hand. It grabbed me by the throat and made me feel. If you’re looking for a pretty little fairytale, turn away. But if you want a story that digs into the marrow of what it means to love, to lose, and to fight for yourself when everything else is falling apart, then welcome to Brisa’s world.

I’ll never forget it.

First off, the cover of this book is SO GOOD. Just had to say that first.

I usually dont love fantasy stories set in real places (London, etc.) and where they have modern technology like phones but the first 10% of the book hooked me with the writing style and the concept that it didn't bother me one bit. I am a sucker for rebellions and forbidden magic!

As soon as Ace was introduced i was like, oh yeah, this is going to be an enemies to lovers story for sure. I was very surprised by how the whole romance aspect took turn after turn, in a good way! When she met up with Rio I was really getting into that bit of the story and I like how that played out too.

The middle of the book was full of a lot of political intrigue and a lot of characters. It definitely ended needing a sequel and I need it now!

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this early. I hope a lot of people stumble upon it and devour it like I did!

4.5 ⭐️

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did but omg it was so good! The world is dark and gritty — magic runs everything, and humans like Brisa are basically treated like trash. But she’s a fighter. She’s part of the resistance and goes straight into enemy territory to find her missing sister. She doesn’t have magic, but she’s smart and scrappy and I loved her for it.

It gave enemies to lovers vibes, secret missions, rebellion, and so much tension — like, actual tension where you don’t know who to trust and everyone’s hiding something. The whole London-with-magic setting was done so well and felt super real.

Also the cat?? Iconic. And I’m really curious about Rio and Franka — I hope they show up more in the next one.

It’s fast-paced, twisty, a little dark, and really clever. If you’re into stories with rebellion, politics, secret identities, and a bit of slow burn, defs give this a go. Can’t wait for the sequel.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

THIS is enemies to lovers. There were so many tropes in this and they all worked for me. It's such a messy book in terms of character relationships, but it didn't feel contrived.

This was a shocking success of a debut novel! The synopsis does no justice to this book, but I don't want to give away too much more beyond that.

I was impressed by the character development with some of the characters, but not some of them. It did make some of the twists have less emotional weight, but still a very entertaining read.

I had no idea what i was getting myself into when i picked up this book but LET ME TELL YOU
This book was God tier and i dont mean in a generic "oh it was so good but ill forget about it in a few months" NO this will live in my head rent free....
I am obsessed with the characters, the world, and the slow burn was everything to me!
The plot was gorgeous and i need more.....

I am so grateful i was able to get an arc for this book and i cant wait to buy it when it comes out! Now i need to go recommend this to everyone i know.

Brisa is a human living in the world of vampires, werewolves, and other magical beings while herself being Unenchanted, someone without magical abilities. When her sister runs off and cannot be found, Brisa joins forces with the rebellion to find her.

While I do not think it was a perfect book, I think it is a solid debut novel and has good bones. The beginning started out a bit rough with too many unnecessary descriptions on clothes and accessories that took me out of the moment and not enough world building before diving right into the action without enough explanation. However once we hit a third of the way through the action started happening and more character development started. This is also when more development and explanation of the rebellion became a little more apparent and made it easier to connect with the characters and their intentions.

I do believe the 2nd book will have a better start if it continues the momentum, character development, and world building that was happening at the end of this book. There were parts that pulled at your emotions and it has an FMC that you really want to root for and cry for when she is hurt and betrayed. Also has a humorous, anthropomorphic animal companion which always wins me over.

So if you love: a rebellion and political intrigue combined with typical romantasy tropes like forced proximity, enemies to lovers and love triangle you might enjoy this.

Thank you such to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sofia Shab for the ARC!

Quick Review Summary:

This book was captivating from the very start. It was a fast paced adventure with characters I have grown to adore! Plus.. there's a talking cat. What more could you ask for?! If you enjoy character-driven fantasy with emotional depth and exciting plot twists, this book is an absolute must read! Great for fans of City of Bones, Crescent City, and Powerless.

In-depth Review:

Characters:
The characters in this book are complex and they developed and grew throughout the book. I became more and more emotionally invested in each of their journeys. Sofia Shab was fantastic at intertwining each of their relationships and developing them over time. Each introduction of a new person felt smooth, and each one has distinct personalities that made them easy to remember.

I have to give special mention to the mysterious talking cat Belial, who quickly became one of my absolute favorite characters! While Belial was not present in later parts the book, they stayed on my mind, and the ending makes me look forward to their story development in the next book!

Plot:
I felt like this book was fast paced in nature and really explored and expanded the world over time; However, each scene serves a purpose. I would often go back to earlier scenes and reread them to look for the foreshadowing that I missed, once a plot twist released. I couldn't put the book down and continued reading late into the night.

There were several characters or scenes from the story that I was suspicious of from the beginning, and I was proved correct as things developed; However, the author also included plot twists I never saw coming, which kept the reading experience exciting throughout.

Ending:
I am EXTREMELY looking forward to reading the next book in this series! The combination rich and complex characters and great paced storytelling made this a standout read that I couldn't put down. The plot twist at the ending left me anticipating what comes next, and I'll be counting down the days until the sequel is released. (Take your time, but I'm also so excited!)

The truth? It was a hate read at the start. I truly had to push myself to keep reading in the beginning I mean come on, in the year of our lord 2025 who the hell wears a “mustard colored sequined skirt”. I mean I think that was a valid crash out I had. The plot was all over the place in the first half too, which like I said it was a hate read. And then it wasn’t. And then I couldn’t put it down. And then I cared way too much about Brisa and her stupid feelings.

Is this the best book ever written? No but it was fun. The vibes were there. It kind of creeps up on you like the spicy vegetables in a sea food boil. I hate that this was only book one because I need everything to go so so bad for them so it can go so so good.

If you’re looking for a fun little Urban fantasy with a forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers, who hurt you vibes, this is it. Just keep reading. Trust.

I really liked this book. This urban fantasy set in London was really well done and you’re immersed in this world as soon as the story starts. The pace is really fast which I enjoyed. The forbidden/ennemies to lover vibes that Brisa and Ace had was really good. I really liked Franka’s character and hope to get more of her. This story did not go where I thought it would, but it was still very nice. Lots of action and political intrigues. There’s still so much to explore in this world and I will definitely pick up the sequel!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book!

Thank you such to NetGalley and Victory Editing for sending me an arc of Princess of Nothing!

3.5 rounded up to a 4

I really liked the fantasy elements in a modern day setting, very different.

I’m still not 100% sure on my thoughts for this book, I enjoyed reading it tbh, but there were parts where I was kind of just like tf? Still I think i’d recommend this!

This book surprised me in all the best ways.

When I picked this up, I was not expecting it to hit the way it did, but wow, I was locked in from the first few chapters. The pacing was tight, the tension constant, and there was this quiet undercurrent of dread and desire that kept me completely hooked.

What really got me, though, was how emotionally messy it all felt, in a good way. The characters don’t make perfect choices. They stumble, they hesitate, they react out of fear or love or pride. And somehow, that made every twist feel personal.

There’s a complexity to the relationships that I really appreciated. The romance isn’t obvious or easy. It simmers. It complicates things. It makes you question where your loyalty lies, and that’s what made it work for me.

The worldbuilding was sharp and subtle, not overly explained, just there, breathing alongside the characters. And there’s this weight to the story, like something ancient is always just beneath the surface. I felt that.

By the time I reached the last page, I didn’t want it to end. It’s one of those books that leaves you in that post-read haze, just sitting with it. I’ll definitely be picking up whatever Sofia writes next.

The story follows Brisa, a seemingly ordinary young woman navigating a world sharply divided between magical and non-magical beings under the oppressive rule of the dark Astor King. Brisa's life thus far has been one of quiet dedication to the rebellion, organizing protests and staying safely "unseen on the sidelines," patiently awaiting her sister's return from clandestine missions. Her greatest secret? She's Unenchanted – a critical vulnerability in a world where magic dictates power and status.
After her sister vanishes without a trace, Brisa is forced out of the shadows and deep into London's perilous heart, a place where her lack of magic could prove fatal. It's here that her path sensationally collides with Commander Ace Trivar, the King's most formidable weapon. The blurb tantalizingly hints at a mysterious force binding them, promising a compelling enemies-to-lovers dynamic as Brisa is pulled into a deadly game that spans lavish parties, clandestine political meetings in shadowy vampire clubs, and covert missions deep within ancient witch coven archives. The internal conflict of choosing between the rebellion she's fought for and an undeniable connection with the enemy she’s been told to hate is the emotional core of the narrative.
Overall, this story is for fans of rich world-building, high-stakes rebellion stories, and the undeniable pull of an enemies-to-lovers trope. I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book, the plot was well paced and the characters were well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.

4.5/5 ⭐️, 1.5/5 🌶

First things first, this cover is absolutely STUNNING. I knew I had to read it before even glancing at the synopsis — love at first sight. 😅

Now, onto the book...
Holy cooow (Frankie would approve) — this book was pure magic. Like most fantasies, the beginning is slower as it sets up the story, but once it picked up? I could not put it down. The world building & magic system were clear yet intricate. The betrayals, the secrets, the dangers — I was constantly in shock. There were so many twists I didn’t see coming & I actually guessed ONE of them (cue me screaming). 😱😂

The characters are everything — layered, flawed & easy to connect with. I found myself relating to their doubts & struggles more than I expected. I can't wait to see how these characters grow because THAT ending?? Wild. I’m unwell. 🫠 Also, I looove any book with empowering female friendships — it makes me so happy every time! 🥹

Now let’s talk romance because OMFG. The tension, the almost moments, the SLOW burn — pure torture in the best way. I adore Brisa’s “choosing herself” energy, but I’m also dying to see who she ends up with. I have my favorite & I’m crossing all my fingers/toes for him. 🤭🥰