Fantastic book that has me running for the sequel. 

Ohhh this was so good! I am confident this is going to be a top read of this year!
We follow the story of Saraya, a princess by day and a midwife by night. This was such a unique take on a story I was hooked from the beginning. We get a lot of insight into the birthing itself, so nothing for the faint of the heart! But I liked it very much.
Saraya can also fight as she has been trained since she was a little girl. Then it comes as it always comes with princesses, we have an arranged marriage with the Fae crown prince and the Fae are their natural enemies, or so they think.
From there, the story picks up and it was funny, heart wrenching, captivating!
We have:
- slowburn romance (very slow, no spice in the first book, but the tension 🔥)
- enemies to lovers
- who did this to you
- princess disguised herself as a man to enter an all male academy (no, it’s not spoiler, it’s literally in the blurb)
- unique magic
- strong ass FMC
- dual POV
- lot of fighting 
And another trope I don’t want to mention because it’s a huge spoiler
I am off to the second book now. Can’t wait to see where this is going 🥳

Why did I wait so long to read this? The physical book has been in my possession for 3 months and I am mad at the lost time that I could have been loving it. This gave me all of the good feelings that I CRAVE in a fantasy book! And we are only 1 book in! 

Fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses will love this... And I'm not just saying that. It's like if those 2 series were mixed with Mulan. I can't wait to keep reading and I'm trying to convince all of my book friends to read it so I'll have people to obsess over it with. 

As a former labor and delivery nurse it is VERY clear that the author has a background in midwifery because the actual pregnancy and birth related things were accurate... Minus the magic of course. I appreciated that this aspect was believable. 

I loved this book so so much!! I pre-ordered the whole series from the author as she released them, purely because I believed in the plot and her writing (having read The Chrysalis Key) and the reviews I’d seen, and it definitely lived up to everything I’d hoped! 
I love all the characters and the twists and turns around every bend, so many unexpected surprises. Opal is the cutest thing in existence and there’s definitely something about Drake that has me hooked! It definitely gave off She’s the Man vibes which is one of my all-time favourite movies. 
Highly recommend if you like fantasy books about fae, enemies to lovers and chosen one tropes, as well as adorable (as well as hideous) magical creatures!

This book is so hard for me to review… 

Did it have every single one of my favorite fantasy tropes/plot points? 
Yes, it did. Forced/Political Marraige, wicked stepmother, lady boss needs to save the human realm, Alanna-esque training while disguised, midwifery, fated mates, animal sidekick, goddess blessed, learning magic, ‘who did this to you?’, fall for the fae baddy, enemies to lovers (maybe), and more I can’t think of right now

Was having every one of my favorite fantasy tropes/plot points trying to do to much? 
Yes, most definitely - at points I didn’t know what I was reading. Was this political drama? School/ training story? Chosen one needs to Save the world? 

Did I stay up until 3am reading it? 
I can neither confirm nor deny this because people I know see these reviews and I swore to them I was not tired this morning, I just needed coffee, and it had nothing to do with reading. (read: Could not put it down)

Did I download the next book as soon as I finished this one? 
Yes, I did - must find out what happens next

Would I say the book was ‘good’? 
I legitimately do not know, but I did enjoy it.