A debut high-stakes fantasy romance trilogy set against a once-in-a-generation duel to the death between rival witches and dragon riders as they battle to control the source of all magic in their kingdoms. Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass, and Quicksilver.

You duel or you die.

Astrid has always known she is destined to die. She is the last Nachstern witch and heir to the Queendom of Arturea, cursed by a centuries-old covenant to duel the heir to the Kingdom of Vatra for the source of all magic: the Heart. And now Astrid’s time is up. She is heading into enemy territory to face Prince Zryan, the most powerful dragon rider in eons, with only her familiar, her potions, and her wits to aid her. She is going to die, and any chance her queendom has of curing the Blight that’s ravaging the lands and killing her people will die with her.

Meanwhile, deep in dragon country, Skylar and her travelling troupe arrive in Vatra’s capital, ready to profit off the legions of spectators swarming to the city ahead of the duel. She despises the royals and all they stand for, especially as the King’s guard murdered her mother. But when her best friend disappears, suspected to have been taken in the conscription, her search takes her closer to the royals than she ever could have imagined.

As the duel looms over the kingdom, Skylar and Astrid’s fates intertwine. They must battle a growing rebellion, their inner demons, and ultimately, those they love most, to determine if together they will save—or doom—their world.

I was in the mood for a fantasy book and decided to give this one a shot. Overall, it was very entertaining, though I’ll admit there weren’t a ton of surprises along the way.

Astrid is the last surviving witch of her line and heir to her queendom, but she’s bound by an old covenant that requires her to duel the heir of a rival kingdom for control of the source of all magic. A duel she knows she will never win, so she’s always known when she was going to die. Now she must face Zryan, a prince known as the most powerful dragon rider anyone’s seen in generations. She fully expects to lose, and her people will likely all succumb to the plague that has befallen their kingdom. Meanwhile, in the heart of dragon territory, Skylar arrives with her traveling group hoping to cash in on the crowds gathering to watch the upcoming duel. She has no love for the royal family, especially since the king’s guard killed her mother years earlier. When her closest friend goes missing, her search for answers pulls her closer to the duel and the royal family than she planned. Astrid and Skylar both end up caught in a growing rebellion that could change both of their lives if they can survive.

The writing here is genuinely strong, and I liked the characters a lot. What really impressed me was how easy it was to understand the world building, the political tensions, and what everyone was actually fighting for. I usually go into fantasy books a little wary, since it often takes me a while to get my footing with a brand new world and its rules. That wasn’t an issue here at all.

This is the first book in a series, and I’ll likely keep going just to see where things head next. That said, I do have one real issue with this book, and it’s a big one. The ending hits with a massive cliffhanger. Normally I don’t mind that when it feels like one chapter of a larger story closing naturally while pointing toward what’s next. That’s not really what happens here. Instead, it feels like the book just stops in the middle of an active scene. Honestly, I think this one should have ended a chapter or two earlier, with that final chapter saved to open the next book. As it stands, it doesn’t feel like an ending so much as a “Seriously, that’s where you chose to end the book”?

If you’re looking for an accessible fantasy with strong world building and characters worth investing in, this is a solid start to a series. Just brace yourself for a frustrating final chapter that ends things way too abruptly.

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