Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli

Heart of Night and Fire

Author: Nisha J. Tuli

Series: The Nighfire Quartet

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Format: Digital ARC via NetGalley

Publish Date: September 2023

Read: August 2023

Story Synopsis: With magical wards keeping her within a small range of their cottage, Zarya spent her entire life in a bubble. Her guardian, Row, said it was for her protection. Zarya felt imprisoned. One day, after several attempts at testing the limits of Row’s magical wards, Zarya discovers the magic is gone, and leaves her cottage for good. After her escape, Zarya ends up in the closest large city, where she is swept off her feet, meets the queen and court members, and discovers why she’s been kept away from the world for so many years.

Why does this book beguile? Shame on me for requesting an ARC that is the start of a four-book series! Especially one that’s billed as a “slow-burn fantasy romance.” I was left wanting more after I finished! Tuli does a great job of world-building by making the magic and characters approachable and imaginable but making it distinct. The reader will experience a range of emotions toward the characters, which made me enjoy the book more.

Admittedly, there were some slow parts, but by the end, I’m glad Tuli set the stage the way she did. I found many parallels with Sarah J. Maas books and S.A. Chakraborty books. Heart of Night and Fire is not quite on the same level as those fantasy books, but good for a quick, lighthearted read.

Rating: 3/5

Link*: Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli - Amazon

If you’re interested in this, read*: The Daevabad Trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty