I’ll be super honest that I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I was drawn in by the cover and the synopsis. I’m very glad I requested it and even more so that I was approved! This is my exact kind of book I enjoy jumping into to read! I was hooked within the first few pages! As far as debuts go, this was wonderfully written! Thank you Victory Editing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!

This was a great read I had a fun time with it, the pacing in the ending is what knocked it down a star but I genuinely am excited for more of this story

Let me just say this debut sparkles, in a gothic laced, secrets in the shadows, rebel on the run kind of way. Sofia Shab has crafted an urban fantasy that reads with slow burning tension for an irresistible entry to this world.

Brisa is the heart of this story an Unenchanted girl in an Enchanted world, full of grit, grief, and a quiet fire. she learns, survives, questions, and fights smart. And that, honestly, made me love her even more.
Ace Trivar our sharp edged, morally questionable, extremely shippable antihero. Their dynamic is deliciously tense and emotional in the best ways. This book had me rooting for all the characters I have a soft spot for Belial I love a cat companion, especially one with the quick quips that sting just enough like the one they spit out.

The worldbuilding is atmospheric and vibrant, filled with lore and sharp commentary on power and privilege. While the pacing occasionally felt rushed in a few places, especially in high intensity scenes where I wanted just a little more room to breathe and feel. the overall story remained engaging and impactful.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★/ 5
Spice: ♥︎/ 5

Biggest thanks to Netgalley and Sofia Shab for the eARC reveiw copy!

Went in expecting a typical fantasy with rebellion vibes and it ended up being way more emotionally intense and chaotic in the best way. The character dynamics are messy, morally grey, and totally addictive. If you like stories where trust is constantly in question and no one is fully clean, this one delivers.

What makes this book stand out is the emotional depth and how it handles power, identity, and survival. The tone leans darker, which I wasn’t expecting but really enjoyed once I settled into it. The relationships are tense and layered, full of secrets and shifting motivations that kept me flipping pages.

The writing is atmospheric and dramatic, which mostly worked for me. There were a few moments where it felt a little over the top, but it fit the story’s intensity and tone overall.

I did struggle a bit with the pacing. Some sections flew by, while others dragged, and there were moments where I felt like I was missing pieces of the world or backstory. It never fully pulled me out, but I wanted just a little more clarity in spots.

Still, this was a wild ride with high stakes, big emotions, and a lot of character-driven tension. If you’re into fantasy that leans dark, dramatic, and a little unhinged, definitely check this one out. I’ll be reading the next one for sure.

Thank you so much for the early copy!

Sadly this one was not for me. Tho I find myself gravitating towards urban fantasies I felt very confused entering this world and keeping up. I’m not sure what about it just didn’t connect with me, the main characters motivations were confusing and constantly changing and I kept having to reread certain parts.

Now just because this wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be for everyone else. Belial the cat alone was an entire mood. I might try to reread at some point, but for now no rating.

In a world ruled by magic and the enchanted, Brisa is unenchanted and simply... human, the last human within the resistance. Equality amongst all is Brisa's main goal, but after being thrust head first into the glittering and dangerous city of London, where the Loyalists to the King roam, she'll soon realise that not everything is as black and white as she thought. In search of her missing sister, she'll do anything to find some answers even if that means having to trust her greatest enemy.

This book is gritty and so incredibly addicting, with so much character development where everyone is morally nuanced and untrustworthy, and a beautifully reimagined London which almost feels dystopian after the enchanted removed all non-magical entities and aspects to thrive.

Princess of Nothing was not what I expected at all, and in a surprisingly good way. This urban fantasy debut is high stakes, full of secret missions, forced proximity, all whilst we get to explore an enchanted London full of vampire clubs and oracle naves. If you love tension yet distrust between multiple characters, anger and betrayal, political intrigue, rebellion and resistance, you'll be just as hooked to Princess of Nothing as I was!

It's a book that'll have you triple checking the authors page everyday waiting for the sequel announcement.

Also if you want further encouragement to read, there's a cat called Belial, Harbinger of Doom, Princes of Demons and the Darkest Shadows.. because we all love a dramatic sassy cat !!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy! I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Princess of Nothing is an urban fantasy with a modern edge, and once I found my footing, I was hooked. The beginning moves quickly—almost too quickly at times—and I found myself struggling to keep up with the world’s history and lore. But once things settled in, I couldn’t stop reading. I get the sense the sequel will dive deeper into the lore, which I’m really looking forward to.

While I enjoyed the character dynamics, I would’ve liked to see one potential love interest developed more than the others. There were moments of connection, but not enough tension or depth yet to make me feel strongly invested in any one pairing. That said, the setup is compelling, and with those cliffhangers at the end, I’m definitely excited to see where the series goes next.

Review posted on Goodreads 21/07/2025
Will publish on Amazon.co.uk on pub date 12/08/2025

A gripping, imaginative read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eArc of this book.

Princess of Nothing pulls you into a vast, mysterious world full of potential. The plot is original and fast-paced, though the frequent POV shifts made it a bit tricky to keep track of all the characters.

My favorite character was Frankie—complex, so cool, and a real standout in the story for me. Would love to see more of her in any sequels(?)

The world-building is rich but left me wanting more background but only because it was so interesting. A prequel would be amazing to explore how everything came to be.

Overall, a compelling story that makes me excited to read more in this universe.

I really liked the darker tone and the emotional depth. it’s clear that Sofia Shab poured a lot into this. the story touches on trauma, survival, messy, complicated relationships, and a lot of moral and political questions which I love. and the main character? definitely someone I was rooting for, even when I didn’t always agree with her.

but at the same time, I struggled with the pacing. some scenes dragged, others felt rushed, and I wish a few of the side characters had more depth. the writing is very poetic, which I appreciated at first, but sometimes it leaned a bit too dramatic for me and pulled me out of the moment.

that said, there were parts that hit hard emotionally, and I think someone who enjoys character-driven stories with a darker edge will really connect with this one more than I did. I've had a good time with it nonetheless!

Thank you netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in advance of its release.

I think the idea for this book is what initially caught my attention. The blurb for the book and the idea that this non-magical person wanted to go and save her sister. That was appealing for me. I also think, the world and the magic system was different and unique. I liked Frankie. For me, she stood out, she was not only mistreated but unloved and virtually ignored. Much like Brisa. Frankie stood out just a little more for me than Brisa because she went looking for love, chose someone to love and then spent her years trying to recover that love. The witches aspect also was appealing. I liked them, wanted to know more about them.
What I struggled with was the plot . What initially drew me to this book, got lost in the shuffle of the multitude of things going on. It almost felt like too many things were going on. Brisa's plans to save friends and her sister didn't last long. The majority of the book, those plans just felt forgotten. But there were all these other things going on that took up all her time. All these things that she was doing for Ace and sometimes for Rio and Frankie....I think there will be a lot of people who love this book. I liked the book. I just think maybe it needs to be a little more streamlined?
I also didn't care for Ace. His attempts to do the things he did, prevent me from thinking his feelings are authentic. If I was Brisa I would be very skeptical of the things he said to her. It felt very much JUST because of the "connection" they have to each other. If the 'connection' wasn't there, would he still feel the same way? I have doubts.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this early copy of Princess of Nothing in exchange for an honest review. This debut novel by Sofia Shab has the bones of a good story. Unfortunately, it was not executed well. Brisa is a human, swept up in the midst of a rebellion between magical beings. The magical lore and history of this fight was not well explained, as well as was Brisa’s adoption and part in the chaos.
The story is told in third person and I struggled understanding the thoughts and ambitions of the main characters. Ace was the hardest the follow (does he want to help the rebels? Save Brisa? Kill Brisa? Rekindle his relationship with his sister? ) I found his motivations confusing and had difficulty finding reason to like him.
I also disliked how Brisa forgot about the wolf pack for half the story and focused on “finding her sister.” She continently forgot about her feelings for Wolf during this time until the very end of the novel.
Rio’s motivation and characterization was the most interesting part of the story. He would be the only reason I would continue this series.
Overall, it was not my favorite. I think it could be reworked into something spectacular with more depth.

🪻’How could power not be a blessing, if it made you something more? Especially when of Brisa’s deepest, oldest desires was to wield it, just once.’🪻

WOW I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! If I could rate this book 6 stars I would- this is honestly one of my favourite books that I have read, and I am an avid romantasy/fantasy reader!! I honestly can’t believe that this is Sofia Shab’s debut book- it is written so beautifully and I adored the characters and the world. It has everything I could hope for in a romantasy book. It makes me extremely happy to know there is going to be further books in this series, because I NEED more!!

Brisa Farrahan has always felt like she doesn’t belong. Living as a magicless Unenchanted, one of the last of her kind, in a city governed by magic, she has always struggled to find her place in the rebellion. She spends her time trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible- aside from organising the occasional protest for quality for non-magical beings like herself, she waits from the sidelines for her werewolf sister to return from missions, dreaming to harness even a sliver of the power that she does. Until one day, her sister is sent on a mission and vanishes without a trace. After others in the rebellion, her friends and even her own mother, who happens to be the rebellion’s Commander, refuse to tell her any information about her sudden disappearance, she decides to take it upon herself to find her sister on her own. Her mission leads her into London’s shadowed heart, where the truth of her true magicless identity being revealed would undoubtedly get her killed. There, her path becomes intertwined not only with vampires, witches, sirens and other powerful magical beings, but also with the king’s most deadliest weapon of all- Commander Ace Trivar, the dark, mysterious and not to mention incomprehensibly powerful man known for his reputation of, amongst other things, killing Unenchanteds hiding in his kingdom. If her mission wasn’t already hard enough, she becomes mysteriously bound to Ace in a way neither of them understands. Brisa must find her sister, learn who to trust and what to fight for, all whilst somehow keeping her identity hidden to the world.

🪻‘Her whole life, people had overlooked her, ignored her. They had tucked her into a corner and pacified her with the promise of safety. But now, far from that reality, she would make him listen. If just this once.’🪻

I loved the characters in this book! Brisa is such a special character- I love how she fights for what she believes in, even when others make it incredibly difficult for her to, push her down and make a point of reminding her how she has no magic in a world that values it. Even in extreme hardships, in a place completely out of her comfort zone and against the most ‘powerful’ people, she doesn’t relent. I love that she is incredibly intelligent and has put her time into learning things like how to code, finding her own purpose- showing power comes in a variety of ways. I also loved her found friendships between Frankie and Greer- it was heartwarming seeing her find friends and feel like she belonged and I loved that they were one of the few Enchanted’s that came to accept her for who she is.

There was also SO SO much romantic tension in this book 😩 there were so many moments throughout the where you find yourself questioning who Brisa will end up with in the end, who she will end up trusting out of her 3 admirers, all who have different qualities and bond with her over different things. I honestly liked all of her potential love interests, so I feel like at different points I was honestly rooting for each of them. 😂 There are SO many tense moments of betrayals- I feel like I felt so many emotions reading this book, and I loved it!

🪻’If beauty were plain, then I wouldn’t know what to call you Brisa Brown. Because you are anything but simple or plain. You’re overwhelmingly consuming and impossible to ignore.’🪻

This book had all of the, in my opinion, best and my most favourite tropes and micro tropes- forbidden love, slow burn, love triangles, forced proximity to name a few, and the ‘who did this to you?’ trope which I am a sucker for. Also, lots that I didn’t know I needed! 😆

100000% give this book a read- I already CAN’T WAIT to see more from these characters and this world! It is everything you could want in a great romantasy. Princess of Nothing is set to be published on 12th August!

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early, and for helping me find one of my new favourite books 💗

Princess of Nothing is a rich book full of adventure and magic - despite the main character possessing none. With stunning worldbuilding and lovely characters, this story is a wonderful debut. In fact, after finishing PoN, I was honestly surprised that it was a debut novel.

Let's start with the worldbuilding. PoN is primarily set in an alternative London inhabited by a variety of magical beings called the Enchanted, along with the humans (also known as the Unenchanted). While the Enchanted of London - at least most of them - thrive under the rule of the Astor King, the Unenchanted are hunted. Brisa (our protagonist) is an Unenchanted herself, which as you can probably imagine, leads to plenty of conflict. The Enchanted do have a reason to hate and fear the Unenchanted considering their history, though it does not justify their genocide. The concept of the oppressed turning on their oppressors and becoming oppressors themselves is a pretty intriguing part of this world's history, one that unfortunately reflects parts of the real world. I love the way even the rebellion, the supposed "good guys" are not entirely free of controversy. I also love the various magical abilities shown. Though the worldbuilding may not the most extensive, it is still wonderful and houses the plot and characters well.

Onto the characters! There is not much to say here. Character-development-wise, the various characters had their own distinctive personalities and motivations. The relationships between the characters were lovely - the friendships in particular. Frankie was the best character after Brisa, and a certain man named after a certain god does not live up to his name at all. At least not the part where the god is pretty good towards women; something the man cannot relate to. Overall, the characters and their dynamics were interesting.

If you are a fan of complex - but not too complex - worldbuilding, 3-dimensional characters, and heaps of adventure, you will most likely enjoy Princess of Nothing!

Biggest thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me an ARC for a honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Princess of Nothing is a dazzling plunge into a world of rebellion, dark magic, and dangerous alliances. Brisa Farrahan has always lingered in the background—unseen, undervalued, and powerless in a society where magic defines worth. As an Unenchanted, she's spent her days organizing protests from the sidelines, watching her sister take the spotlight. But when her sister vanishes without a trace, Brisa is thrust into the brutal heart of London’s magical underworld.

What follows is a twisting, high-stakes adventure through vampire clubs, secret witch archives, and glittering ballrooms where every step could lead to betrayal. To survive, Brisa must align herself with Ace Trivar—the rebellion’s most feared Commander and the evil king’s most brutal enforcer. Their reluctant partnership burns with tension and reluctant trust, binding them together in ways neither expected.

Brisa’s journey is as much about self-discovery as it is about survival. Torn between the rebellion that discarded her and the enemy who sees her clearly for the first time, her choices grow more perilous as war looms. She’s a heroine who doesn’t just challenge the world’s rules—she questions her own loyalties, too.

With lush, atmospheric writing and a magnetic cast of morally gray characters, Princess of Nothing is a gripping tale of power, betrayal, and finding strength in the places you least expect. Perfect for fans of dark fantasy romance and political intrigue, this book will keep you hooked from the first page to the last.

A magical rebellion, a human girl without powers, and a world on the edge of war — Princess of Nothing is a fast-paced, high-stakes fantasy debut with serious binge-worthy appeal.

Set in a richly imagined version of London where magical beings rule and humans are marginalised, Sofia Shab builds a compelling world split between the Enchanted (werewolves, vampires, sirens, witches, and more) and the Unenchanted (those with no magic). Our heroine, Brisa, is one of the latter — a powerless girl with a strong moral compass, a rebel’s heart, and everything to lose.

When her sister Lupa — a werewolf and rebel fighter — goes missing, Brisa is forced out of the safety of her compound and into the dark, glittering underbelly of Enchanted London. What follows is a high-tension adventure full of secrets, unexpected alliances, forbidden connections, and a magic-infused mystery that’s bigger than Brisa ever imagined.

💥 I found the premise genuinely gripping and the pace addictive — I finished the book in a single day.
💫 The lore is well thought out, and the exploration of power, inequality, and resistance adds real depth to the plot.
🖤 And yes, the cover is absolutely stunning.

Brisa’s reluctant partnership with Ace Trivar (the Astor King’s most dangerous weapon) and her unexpected friendship with Rio (a mysterious pyromancer) adds just the right amount of tension and slow-burn intrigue. Their dynamics were one of the highlights — morally grey, complicated, and full of potential.

This is a solid YA fantasy debut with big series promise. I’m definitely on board for book two!

★ ★ ★ ★ — Fast-paced, immersive, and full of heart. Princess of Nothing is perfect for fans of magic-fuelled rebellion, reluctant alliances, and heroines who find their strength where it hurts.