roiling darkness. words whispered from within. shifting allegiances. dreams turning into nightmares. icy winds. roaring bonfires. gods hidden behind a veil. shadowy alleyways. vicious wolves. trials of courage. trials of the soul. trials of the heart. blinding, bursting power. agonizing discoveries. myths. stories. saints. prophecies like a double-edged sword.

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if you’re looking for a new fantasy read, look no further! this book has everything i love: a heroine with sharp edges. an enemies to lovers arc. a complex magic system. threats around every corner. a rich world with tension that builds and builds as more edges of the map come into view and new facets of the story unspool.

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i especially loved the contrast between aya and will — their relationship a true enemies to lovers arc. the angst and push and pull was perfection. aya is the exact kind of heroine that I love: earnest and fiery and quietly powerful (plus, she’s a capricorn, like me!). she sticks to her values and fiercely seeks to protect her friends and the world around her, despite the darkness she feels roiling within: “She had found her place in shadows and darkness, in cold alleyways and dilapidated bars, in the smooth handle of a dagger and sharp steel of a blade. She was not a beacon of light. She was not a savior of nations or realms. If the gods had chosen her, they had chosen wrong.” and will is a worthy foil: willing to take aya’s barbs and throw himself in the face of danger to protect who and what he really loves.

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this book feels like a magnificent start to a truly epic fantasy with a world that expands with each page, filled with political intrigue and rich lore. i’m extremely excited to see what happens in book two: the curse of sins! if you’re a fan of fantasy, definitely pick up the curse of saints (so happy i got the fairyloot edition as well — love the gray + rose gold foil cover) 🖤🗡️