I loved Emily Colin's Cursed In Love, so I jumped at the chance to ARC-read Fate and Fury, the first book in her Bone Moon series when I saw it on NetGalley this week. Fantasy based on Slavic folklore never fails to hit for me, probably because the HEAs feel so rewarding and satisfying after seeing the main characters go through hell and back (quite literally in this case) to earn their happy ending. Fate and Fury is already delivering on that front, and it brings some brutal twists and some big emotional damage. It also has all of that secretly-requited-but-still-forbidden love angst that I love so much, so it really was perfect for me!

In Fate and Fury, the world and the magic system is explained straight away, but I really loved how the author did that really naturally by showing it through a failed attempt to bind Katerina's magic, rather than just telling us about the lore of the world and how it works. It really brought that world to life from the first page and that opening scene grabbed me straight away. I definitely felt that show, don't tell approach all the way through, and I really felt this story as a result.

It's really fast-paced and it does NOT travel a predictable, well-trodden path. I couldn't believe some of the twists and turns in this story, and it's only book ONE! I've already been put through the emotional wringer, so who knows what I'll be like after the next book. I've seen one cover and listing say this is part of a duology, and another one that says it's part one of a trilogy, so I don't know if there's another one or two books still to come. I'll probably be an absolute mess after 3 books of this emotional damage. Either way, the Slavic inspiration lends itself perfectly to a dark fantasy world like this one, and I can't wait to pick up the second book, Revenge and Ruin, when it releases later this month!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

This book trampled my heart in the best ways. I only meant to read a few chapters, but I finished it in the early morning hours the next day. The longing was fierce! There were many tender moments and a villain I didn't see coming. It's a high-stakes story, which I don't normally enjoy, but I felt this one did it right. I immediately looked up its sequel because I am dying to know what happens next for our main characters. It was gutwrenching in a satisfying way! I really enjoyed this ARC!

My favourite romance of the year so far (it's March, but I do read a lot), the world-building/magic system is one of my favourites, and I love the characters. Please give us the rest of the series!