Veins of Power

Threads of the Fifth Realm

by Becky Jane Fox

"HOLY freaking crap!!! That was EPIC!! That was totally right up there with Fourth Wing!!! I absolutely loved it!!

"WHAT THE ACTUAL F**K IS HAPPENING? I need to know more IMMEDIATELY! Oh the twist! You, cruel and clever writer! I love it so muchhh!!"

"I don't think I've read a book that explores the mechanism of magic and magical theory this thoroughly since Harry Potter!"

"I CANNOT WAIT. I just want Lyra to rip all of Talen's clothes off!"

Meet Lyra Bloom – a sharp-tongued redhead with a quick mind and a volatile vein of magic she can’t quite control.

Raised scraping by in the lawless Outerlands, survival meant learning to fight, lie, and rely on no one but herself. Until one fatal mistake changes everything.

Captured crossing the border into the Inner Lands, Lyra is dragged into the very world she’s spent her life resenting—and forced into service under the power she swore she’d never bow to.

Inside the walls of the Citadel, her magic grows stronger. Wilder. But so does something a rising lust and desire for something she doesn’t truly understand. Something shadowed. Something dangerous. Something that threatens to unravel her—and everything around her.

And as whispers of rebellion spread and dragons strike from exile, Lyra must decide whether she’ll be forged into the weapon the Citadel wants… or become the spark that burns it all down.


Slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers tension
Morally grey MMC
Forced proximity & dangerous bargains
Dragons in exile & forbidden magic
A fierce, flawed heroine who would rather set the world on fire than bow to it

This is Book One in a three-book fantasy saga.

What. The. Heckity. Heck. Uh, no. You can't just leave it at that. My brain and heart can't keep up. I can't function anymore"

"Omggggggg why is the always the bad boys, I LOOOOVEEE HIMMM"

"Omg I just can't! IM ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT. He's 🤤🤤🤤"

"1. That was incredible 2. Ooooo 3. 🔥🔥 4. I'm speechless, I don't really know how to put words together haha. I'm so addicted to this book! It just keeps getting better and better!"

"Girl this book has drugs in it! PhD in Yearnalism"

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dragons, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Ebooks, Fantasy Romance

618 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 20, 2026

Reviews

[Saranya ⋆☕︎ ˖ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not want to write a proper review for this book as I had to dnf the book in between.

I found the opening scene too much; it felt problematic. Additionally, the prose felt disconnected and lacked the fluid narrative voice I look for in this genre. Thank you for the opportunity, but I don’t feel I am the right audience for this book.

pre-read:

I seriously have no recollection of me putting this book on my NetGalley's wishlist, but here we are. Hope I like this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Becky Jane Fox(the author) for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Gabriella୨ৎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

━━━ઇଓㅤ⤸
꒰ 𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ꒱ Ⓘ dnf @32%

𝟏.𝟕𝟓-𝟐 ✩

꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ꒱
Ugh, I just couldn’t continue reading this. Just from reading the reviews, I had no hope that this would be good. I read the prologue and first chapter and it was…very interesting. Not something many–or any, really–fantasy books start with. There were also allegations that this book had AI and was plagiarised by Fourth Wing. Although I haven’t read that series, there was a potential use of AI I caught (i had such a fun time pretending to be a detective searching for anything).

Suspicious (and annoying) things I found that may or may not be AI:
➼ The map said there was an Earth realm but in the book it was spelt Aarth. Not necessarily a simple spelling mistake considering the fact that everyone should know how to spell that.
➼ When a character was stuttering, it was ‘S, s, s, sorry’ instead of ‘S-s-s-sorry’. Then later on, there was another similar scene where the stuttering then switched from commas to hyphens.
➼ I caught multiple sentences where there was no punctuation at the end. This could be normal, but I was suspicious after seeing this book could potentially be AI.
➼ The writing was super weird, and I didn’t know if it was just the author or not. For example: ‘Fingers scrape for balance’ and ‘eyes snap open’ - no ‘My’ at the start. WHOSE FINGERS?? WHOSE EYES?? I got so frustrated because it felt unfinished and improper. Another sentence was ‘Heart hammering, pounding in my ears.’ That’s it. Could just be me that hated this, but it pissed me off.

I’ve read many books where the mmc is a bad man who has done some not-so-nice things. But the supposed ‘love interest’ was a creep, a weirdo, a disgusting freak I had no interest in swooning over, and I don’t know how he can redeem himself to be the man the fmc has an enemies-to-lovers dynamic with. The first time they met, he was blaming her for something she didn’t do and threatened to kill her. There was also another threat he made that sounded, in my opinion, kind of rapey. There’s a lot of ownership, the whole ‘she’s mine to touch, no one else’, like she was a pet or toy. Uhh, no thank you sir, back the fuck up.

If I have to read the word ‘Threads’ one more time, I am going to explode. The sheer amount of times this word was used is crazy. Now I understand that’s what their power is called, but do you have to use it so often? And paired with those improper sentences? A big no from me.

Dark fantasy is always delicious to read, but this one just wasn’t it. Everyone was a creep or a rapist or someone who wanted to kill the fmc. The only likable character was Ezzy and her bubbly personality in the shithole that was the Citadel. I also can't believe that nearly two days have passed since I started this book and I only got up to thirty-two percent. I've been battling the urge to dnf it, and after another scene with the love interest being a dickhead, I finally did. There's mysteries that still need to be unfolded, but I have absolutely no care for what happens next.

Please don’t read this; save your sanity.

━━━

ᰔᩚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: ꒱
i’m actually so scared to read this from some of the reviews i’ve seen. plagiarism? ai? really slow? oof, it’s not looking too good. the prologue and first chapter were interesting...and so far it’s not too bad. in my opinion, i thought it felt fast, sooo… i requested this arc because there’s a badass redhead fmc, dragons, and dangerous magic. i’m so grateful i got accepted, and despite the mixed reviews, there's always a chance that i'll enjoy it.

Ⓘ thank you @netgalley and publisher for giving me the chance to read this free arc, i'm very eager to share my thoughts.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝: 23/2/2026
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: dnf’ed

-𝓖

[Krysta ꕤ]

here for the dragons 🐉

[DarkPlotsAndLipGloss (Carlie) · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's so disheartening to see people supporting this author and this book. If you can't see that this is stolen work written by AI, then that's a problem.

The writing and sentence structure is lazy, the story is predictable, the inner monologue of the main character is repetitive nonsense, and the entire book is a rip off of Fourth Wing/Iron Flame. There is no character depth so I felt nothing when supposed main characters died. Half the time there is no description for the scenes where she uses her "threads", just "my magic hits", "magic hits me in the chest"; for a book with elemental magic and string theory magic, I expect way more. This book absolutely did not need to be almost 700 pages.

I am baffled how this got published? Maybe 12% of this book feels original, only the beginning and the end. Entire scenes and interactions between characters were stolen and rewritten. I've started screenshotting and comparing (with The Empyrean Series), there is a difference between "inspired by" and plagiarism.

Quotes from both books and examples of how I believe this is an AI rip off to come!! And trust me, I have an entire page of notes plus screenshots.

Part 1: just off the top of my head!!!!
- [ ] Our FMC is a small snarky 21 year old with a dead dad. Background: The area is separated because of a treaty. Inside one area is protected by magical veils/wards to protect against threats and dragons. The outside is basically desolate and the people who live there have to fend for themselves/protect themselves.
- [ ] FMC can only enter after crossing over something that is super high up in the air and FMC is scared she is going to fall.
- [ ] FMC is enlisted as a cadet in a military college. This college follows strict rules from a codex. The college wants to keep out weaklings so they encourage the students to kill each other. She is targeted because of her background and people pick on her/try to kill her.
- [ ] She meets a drop dead handsome man (MMC), who has a family member that got killed because of her, declares he will kill her. He has dark eyes with gold in them, tan skin, super tall, rippling muscles, and dragon scales tattooed across his entire back. He calls the FMC a nickname based on her flowery name. His power allows him to talk in her ear without anyone else hearing. Later in the book we also find out they have a bond and he can feel her emotions. He can also send her racy feelings through their bond.
- [ ] Our main girl then meets another girl, who is a super smart goody rule follower and is always happy, she becomes the bestie. Our FMC starts keeping secrets from her and feels guilty about it the entire book. Bestie finds out she's lying to her and says it hurts that she doesn't trust her. FMC begs for forgiveness and says she will earn back her trust.
- [ ] FMC makes a friend with a guy who carves stuff out of wood
- [ ] FMC's power is wild and out of control. She has to use a conduit. Sometimes her power is so strong it can burn her from the inside out.
- [ ] FMC and MMC are both out after curfew and make a deal not to snitch on each other
- [ ] FMC asks MMC why he won't just kill her already. MMC says ___ will do it for me.
- [ ] Another boy at school targets FMC and ruthlessly attacks her/tries to kill her multiple times.
- [ ] FMC has a love triangle between hot MMC and childhood brown hair brown eyed love interest.
- [ ] MMC has an ex at the college who his family tried to set up a political match. Ex is tan, long black hair, and gorgeous. FMC is jealous.
- [ ] Ex hates FMC and challenges her to fight on the mat. FMC asks "you love him? You think I took him from you?" EX says she doesn't want him for love she wanted him so she could be the next ruler, his connections etc. that FMC is ruining that and says she's going to kill her
- [ ] MMC is keeping secrets from FMC. He says "just trust me". FMC says "you want me to trust you then give me something real". MMC continues to keep secrets, making FMC unsure if she can trust him or not. She decides eventually that yes she can trust him. He betrays her trust.
- [ ] MMC has dragon scales on his back because yes, he bonded a dragon.
- [ ] People who wield magic and have weird eyes and can control dragons attack FMC. They tell her to come to the dark side. She says no and fights back.

Does this sound like The Empyrean Series to you? This is all from Veins of Power. Crazy how it's an exact copy! The banter is also almost identical. Part 2 coming up soon.

[joe (hiatus)]

pre-read:
I was ITCHING for a romantasy ARC right after my romcoms and NetGalley servedd🤭🫶

[Becca Toribio · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ✨

I am SO glad I was selected to be an ARC reader for this upcoming book! It completely exceeded my expectations, the magic system, world building, story, and of course all the messy story lines surprised me by how invested I became in this book!! It initially had a slower start for me (typical FMC with a rough upbringing being thrown into a world different from what she thought she knew) but once I got through the first few chapters the story took off and never slowed down.

I was really impressed how well the magic system and story lines were both well thought out without any holes and I loved how Becky used foreshadowing throughout this book!! It remained fast paced without turning into any confusing or distracting sub plots. This book got better for me as I read and now I am completely invested and impatiently waiting to see what will happen next!! I definitely recommend for all my fantasy girls to read when it comes out in January 2026!!

Thank you Becky and netgalley for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this book! 🖤🖤

[SpookyxSpice · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at page 58. Not my cup of tea.

The start reads as adult fantasy, it starts to become quite repetitive in that the inner monologue of the main character then gets repeated in actual dialogue or follow up monologues . I felt it was unnecessary, you’ve already mentioned things once, it doesn’t need repeating. Another repetitive point is of the Reassignment…another thing that doesn’t need mentioning multiple times per paragraph.

We then get to Lyra being bamboozled into a training academy (university level) and it reads as very YA interactions and very young kind of superficial things. It threw me enough to make me no longer interested in reading. Especially after a post sex opening scene and the very real threat of death in beyond realms stuff mentioned at the beginning.

[elizabeth rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!! Outstanding. I can't wait for book 2!!

[Alice Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC supplied by NetGalley, thank you so much for this opportunity!

A really well written romantasy book that I think is going to be one of the big reads of early 2026.
It’s steamy without being spicy, it’s murderous without being dark, its magic system is fully fleshed out and I’m really curious how this will translate in the later books. And the cliffhanger? Expected but also unexpected. (Makes sense?)
•
Lyra goes about her life as an outerlander, a community exiled for refusing to fight with the innerlanders, stripped from accessing their powers. Faced with poverty, she steals from the city to help feed and cure the outerlanders. But an act of carelessness causes her to get caught and sent to the citadel for training with the very people she’s learnt to hate. Along with the mysterious officer who is set out to kill her, she learns to survive in this new world of danger, love, and friendship, all while the looming threat of dragons persists.
•
This is fantastic for fans of Fourth Wing for the academic setting with dragons.

[♡Molly♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
3/5 Stars

⋆༺𓆩Tropes𓆪༻⋆
𓅭 Academy
࿈ Enemies to Lovers
𓅭 Found Family
࿈ Fake Relationship

𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-

・┆✦ʚI'm his. In this moment, I’m his, and I don’t care what it means. ɞ✦ ┆・

⋆ ˚｡ ⋆୨♡ ‘Lyra,’ he says, ‘I want the parts you never let anyone touch. The part that’s still shaking from when you were seven in that fire. The part that gets angry when your threads lock up. The part that hesitates on the ledge every time. I want the part that still carries around that f*cking duck even though you haven’t needed it in months’…. I’m not looking for something I can f*ck and forget. I want it. I want all of it.’♡୧⋆ ˚｡ ⋆‘

💭 Thoughts-

-ˋˏ✄┈┈I mean, it was an ok book. I didn’t love it or hate it, but it did feel a bit long in my opinion and might have been better if it was a bit more concise and shorter. It could have been better and not kind of dragged on in a sense.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈I will say the side characters in this book were amazing, like they had such depth and were so interesting, which is something we don’t see all the time in books. But I really felt like I got to know all those side characters while reading this book.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈Those last like 100 pages were actually insane. I did not know what was going to happen fully and was just shocked. Shocked. How it all played out.

[Renata Gasparic · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 36%, I just couldn’t anymore.
I got this as an eARC for reviewing, and seeing all the amazing reviews I was excited to read this. This just shows how subjective reading is.
I couldn’t get into it. It’s very similar to Fourth Wing (the love interest and the academy setting with a blond guy that wants to kill her - hello Jack Barlowe) - and I thought I would love it - i was wrong.
1. Do we really need to read how the MMC smelled like leather, smoke and something bittersweet/clean sweat every time he shows up? Every time. Please, to all the authors. Enough is enough.
2. The FMC was almost as bad as Diem - get a grip girl, every decision she made was wrong. And then she got three friends that showed her several times they can be trusted (btw I am talking about the 36% that I read), yet every time they wanted to help her she had the same inner monologue how ‘i cannot put my walls down or i’ll lose it’. At some point I LOST IT.
3. This is now the second book where when writing the inner monologue of a character the author writes it like ‘what was this person thinking? What if they plan to do something to me? What if i am wrong?’ - all formulated as questions. No disrespect, but this is how I wrote my middle school essays and in a published book I expect better writing. It is, to me personally, very grating.
4. Please mind the setting and vocabulary. This is very obviously not an urban fantasy, modern setting. The healing is done with some kind of spice. Yet there was a joke reference to ‘i hope the girls have good life insurance’. This was almost as bad as ‘cliff notes’ comment in Quicksilver for me.

Anyhow, this was just not for me and I will sadly not be recommending this. I had to DNF when I realized I am forcing myself to read it.

[Rayrayreadsxo · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW

⚡ Veins of Power ⚡ by @beckyjanefox @fifthrealmsaga

Quick Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.75
Cutthroat magic academy where any class can kill you, your magic is feral, you have an emotional support duck 🦆. The MMC is charming and drop dead fckable 😉 IYKYK. oh and he is also absolutely here to ruin your nervous system.

The Vibes:
Unruly elemental magic, lethal lessons, unhinged dragons & rebellion. Lyra's just trying to survive while the empire is low key crumbling and everyone keeps attempting to murder her. ...Just a regular day that ends in Y.

Lyra & Talen:
Lyra is smart, stubborn, exhausted, and running on vibes and spite. Talen is walking emotional sabotage with MAJOR Four from Divergent energy🫠🫠. The slow burn is criminal. The tension🥵🥵 The lusting, the day dreaming, the pencil snapping, that takedown, the eye locking, and then she knew he felt all that want ..that crippling need and her INSANE desire for him OMG I was sweating. IT WAS FN HAWT🫠🌶️
Also the wooden duck 🦆. The way he fixed it because she needed it like she needed air? 🥹🥹

The side characters who stole the show:
Rowan, a stoic king who turned into a ride or die fam member, and is absolutely not telling us everything 👁️
Ezzy, sweet proof that Lyra is lovable and deserving of real friendship.
Finn, our golden retriever flirt, here to charm, tease, and emotionally support when things explode.

The Ending:
The last 100 pages were unhinged. The last 9 percent was emotional damage. Deadly trials. Epic battles. Brutal executions.
Rule 4 ruined LIVEEESSSSSS!!!!!
The envelope!!!!!! The note!!!!! ✉️💔
“I told you not to trust me.” I just can't.🥺🥺🥺
Then between that last chapter and Talen’s POV I just fkn stared at the wall whispering WHAT THE BISCUITS…
I needed several minutes.

Some repetition kept this from 5 stars, but as a debut with rich worldbuilding? I ate it up. Will I read book two? ABSOLUTELY. IMMEDIATELY. OBSESSIVELY. 💯📚

[Simran Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read not a single romantasy book this year, I found this one on netgalley and I'm so glad I got picked as a reader because this was power packed.

The premise not just captures the regular tropes but the magic system and plot was very well done. After a long break in this genre I found myself having a hard time getting hooked to a book but this one pulled me in right away.

The world is split into two - outerlands and Citadel. People in outerlands are stripped of magic but our FMC - Lyra, her magic doesn't know how to stay contained and to let it out she has to enter citadel.

Now, on her way she is captured crossing the border into the Innerlands brought in court only to find that her mother served in citadel years ago. She doesn't want to serve them and neither does she want to believe her mother serving to be true. Unclear of the agenda of why she is even brought here, she decides to stay.

Extremely gripping. Perfect for the fans of fourth wing, throne of glass.

✨ Slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers tension
😈 Morally grey MMC
💣 Forced proximity & dangerous bargains
🐉 Dragons in exile & forbidden magic
❤️‍🔥 A fierce, flawed heroine who would rather set the world on fire than bow to it

[Tash Panagiotas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an astounding debut novel 😍
Let me start by saying, the book had me hook, line and sinker from the first chapter! Such a sizzling start to this adventure. So many lovable characters. Lyra, Ezzy, Rowan, Finn and of course the one we love to hate and hate to love.. the Nightrose Talen our MMC 🤤
This book has the perfect amount of plot with an equal amount of yearning. Betrayal, plot twists, concise world building that doesn't leave your brain fried, dragons, villains and our delectable MMC Talen who is swoon worthy!!! Throughout this book you will fall in love with side characters, wonder who can be trusted and pick up on many hidden dragon eggs within the chapters.
Speaking of chapters, each one has you rushing to get to the next. Zero filler which I love. Thank you Becky for writing this book and entrusting us ARC readers with your work. I am honestly blown away with how good this is for a debut and grateful l've had the chance to enter the Fifth Realm ♥️

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had the pleasure of receiving an early ARC of Veins of Power, and wow—what a ride. At first glance, it starts like many romantasy tales: a young female protagonist setting off on a journey, the world slowly unfolding around her. The pacing in the beginning is gentle, almost deceptively so. But don’t let that lull you—because once this story finds its stride, it does not let go.
The transformation throughout the book is remarkable. What begins as a familiar fantasy setup evolves into something far more layered and unpredictable. The last third of the novel is packed with twists and revelations that had me flipping pages like my life depended on it. I genuinely gasped more than once.
The emotional stakes rise sharply, the magic system deepens, and the characters—especially the protagonist—grow in ways that feel earned and compelling.
By the end, I was fully invested and devastated that I’ll have to wait for book two. If you love romantasy with a slow burn that erupts into high-stakes drama, Veins of Power is a must-read.

[Jess Hensley · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounded for GR)
🌶️: 1/5

Veins of Power was so much different than I expected! | initially prepared for a spicy, romance forward story with some generic fantasy overlay.

However; I actually think the plot and the magic was the best part of this story. Yes, this is an enemies to lovers - but the romance wasn't the biggest plot device in my opinion. It's certainly a main storyline, but for me, the most interesting parts were not always necessarily tied to the romance (does that even make sense) I think this take on magic is really creative and unique, somewhat combining elemental magic with something less conventional.

My only critique of this book is that there are some "copy paste" moments and some predictably.
However, given that this is a debut indie published book, I think this can be overlooked. I'd recommend this to first time romantasy readers and those whole love a military/ academic training setting!

[Sandra (millennial.reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a solid 3⭐️ from me. I think it's a really good debut book and has a potential to become very popular, but after reading over 100 books in the genre this year, some things did not vibe with me.

First and foremost, I think fresh Fourth Wing fans will like this one. It checks all the boxes:
- School/Academy setting
- Divided world
- Dragons (but they are 'bad')
- Forced proximity
- Found Family
- "Enemies to lovers" but not really
- Fake relationship
- "Jack Barlowe"
- Secrets and changed history
- Hidden identities and Power

👍Yays:
- World building is great. I love how the author managed to insert pieces of the world and history through different scenes and situations, it really pulls you in and you can experience it all. I am sure we only scratched the surface, but it's still extensive and promises a very unique world to remember.
- Even though magic system is not really clear in the first 35% of the book, you get the answers as you continue reading, and it's quite unique, such as sound manipulation.
- Found family - many know I am sucker for those. Side characters in that little circle really adds to the world-building, but also to the plot. Their secrets and history just build upon what we know from FMCs perspective.

👎Nays:
- Insta lust - even though as you read and get to the 85% of the book, you understand why it looked insta lusty, but it still didn't sit well with me at all. It was too much, along with exaggerated hate to strengthen the enemies-to-lovers trope. From that moment on, I lost interest in the love story. Even the reasons he gave for the 'hate' were really weak and it just painted the MMC as someone who is not only juvenile, but shallow. The worst thing is that it started with insta lust and became slow burn with tortured behaviour.😳
- Only 1 POV - We only get her POV, which would be fine if things were told differently, but from her POV it was just exhausting and I was not able to 'feel' that connection with the MMC that is being dragged through 600 pages. She is not as annoying as I expected, but my next point just explains why just 1 POV annoyed me.
- FMC inner monologues - one of the biggest issues I had with this book. I would be able to tolerate almost everything listed as nays here, but her inner monologues drained me to the point that I almost DNFed the book 2 times. First, repetitiveness - stating her motives like a mantra so many times with little space in between was just boring . Then the constant questions - OVER AND OVER again. It stopped me as a reader from asking those questions, and it just gave me pointers where to look and what to think which for me is the equivalent of being told now shown. I didn't like it, it didn't vibe well, and it ruined the experience a bit.
- Ambiguous setting - I was 100% sure this was a dystopia for about 20% of the story, minus the dragons. The entire system (no matter how well built it was) had more dystopian than fantasy elements, along with the military, guards, Codex etc. Which is a huge plus for the uniqueness, but then dragons! It's just confusing. Now, when you get to the end, you get that dragons have a huge role in the story, but I think that the actual vibe and setting is something left for book 2.
- Relationship timeline - Apart from insta lust, I've read it all before, in Fourth Wing, in exactly the same order, minus a scene or two and a fake relationship part. Which is also fine, that's why I said that fresh FW fans would enjoy this, but that's why this also didn't sit well with me. Spice is 2🌶️.
- Miscommunication- This is my personal pet peeve. I hate this trope as much as memory loss trope, and with her monologues, their relationship timeline, and insta lust, miscommunication being added in the mix I just couldn't stand a lot of dialogues. He explicitly told her that he cannot tell her almost anything, she ACKNOWLEDGED she cannot trust him, but is still shocked when he does something she 'didn't expect'. Seriously?
- I can go on, but these were just the most prominent issues I had with the book.

❓ Questions left unanswered
- Now, there is a possibility I missed it while reading all those annoying monologues, but I have no idea how old both of them are. That's what I realised when I finished the book. This is something I cannot hold it against anyone but me, as I really don't know if and how I have missed it.
- What's the deal with her mom's diaries? We only got glimpses of the story, but there should have been more. Those couple of pages just showed us where she was and that she loved her father, but HOW is all that answering some questions about powers and world?

Cliffhanger was of course strong, but I kind of saw that ending coming, and mainly due to miscommunication trope and a couple of 'plot twists' in between.

I think I will continue this series, but I will first skim read through a couple of chapters to see if her monologues are still exhausting. If the answer is YES, then it's a NO for me. No matter how good the story is, I just want to enjoy my reading time, not treat it like a chore.

Thank you NetGalley and author for providing me with an eARC.

[₊⋆˚⊹ soph °♡⋆.ೃ❀ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Becky Jane Fox for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-
I had to think about this for a while. After pondering about what to do with this book for over two weeks I have come to the conclusion of dnfing it at 58%. And I'm so glad I did.
It started off super promising, gave me the perfect adult romantasy vibes I expected from this book. But as soon as the main character got to this academy setting, the entire book felt so... juvenile. Everything changed drastically, the writing style got so sloppy, the main character was just straight up naive and the side characters bland and unseasoned.
The love interest was atrocious. I feel like the author wanted him to be this dark broody killer guy, but she couldn't flesh him out like that. He was just super icky. Always lurking, trying to be mysterious, randomly taking her finger into his mouth? Ew. No no no. He was annoying and the entire thing felt too insta-loving with the author trying to make it enemies-to-lovers. It didn't work out like that at all, I fear.
The utter unrealistic behavior of literally EVERYONE made the entire book so boring and made the FMC feel like a pick-me, without the author even intending it that way.
I would have eaten this book up at 14 but not now; I'm too grown up for this. I'm glad I'm dnfing this, although the author is a total sweetheart and I like her a lot. I wish her the best for her writing journey.

[Jennifer Stintzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky to be given a copy of the ebook as an ARC to read. These opinions are my own.
3.5⭐️!
It did take me a while to get in to it. I started and stopped the book twice before I kept reading it.
As a rule, I try to at least give it at least 50% before I DNF - and I’m glad I did!!
The world building was great. The magic system involving “Threads” was unique and interesting.

Tropes:
Found family
Fake dating
Insta-lust
Enemies to lovers
One POV
Miscommunication (my least favorite trope)

World:
Academy Setting
Dragons (kind of??? They’re mentioned and seen briefly - I have a feeling they will be more involved in later books)
🌶️1.5

Overall:
I didn’t get the instant love. She’s supposed to hate him and yet she can’t stop thinking how hot he is🙄
A lot of internal dialogue.
Takes a while to get in to.


HOWEVER: I DID really start to get in to the story later. Specifically after 70% in when you start to kind of understand what’s going on. I even teared up later in the book. My 10 year old goes, “are you crying??? Why do you read books that make you cry??” So, overall, I did enjoy it and I will be reading books 2 & 3!!

[jade’s reading journey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book far exceeded my expectations and I cannot wait for the release of the second volume to continue the story.

The magic system was particularly impressive, just like that plot that remained engaging despite the book's length. The pacing was also good, keeping the story compelling.

The main character, Lyra, is strong and flawed. With little understanding of how to control her powers, she is offered to be trained at an academy for one month in return for information. An offer she cannot refuse. This novel is a solid start for the rest of the series, following Lyra as she begins to understand her abilities and her new reality. The twists at the end leave the reader wanting more.

At times the story reminded me of other fantasy novels I adore, such as Fourth Wing. Fans of this genre cannot miss this one.

tropes:
-enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-academy setting
-elemental magic

Thank you NetGalley and Becky Jane Fox for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[✨sara✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just didn’t do it for me. It felt like a strange mix of Fourth Wing, Wednesday, and a bit of Red Queen or Powerless, but missing the parts that made me want to stick around for 670 pages.

By no means did this book need to be this long. Basic details were repeated incessantly. Did “Weasel Senior” need to follow every time Professor Strannt was mentioned? I think professor told us which he was. Did we need to know what Talen’s ever changing scent was every time he was within smelling distance? A few times I caught myself flipping back a few pages because I swore I read the exact same lines 10 minutes ago.

The FMC, Lyra, is unbearable. She’s definitely “not like other girls” and has the comprehension skills of a coconut. She’s so caught up in “not being a traitor” that she cant see everyone around her is already doing what she keeps vowing to do for herself. The MMC, Talen, gives you whiplash with how often his feelings flip, but of course it’s in the name of “I’m protecting you by not telling you and pushing you away.” We’re also calling this a slow burn but Lyra’s getting fucked by some other guy in the beginning of this book & imagining fucking Talen every time she lays eyes on him, but we spent 400ish pages going back and forth over a kiss?

Fantasy has become such a copy and paste recipe and while some authors can take what’s already been done and immerse you in their world like it’s all new, this just felt like a trope checklist. Clearly I’m in a minority here with all the other high rated reviews, but I did not enjoy the story.

[Rebecca ~ readinginNZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are darker things in this world than whispered rumours of rebellion, Lyra. Shadows that don’t care about borders or bloodlines.”

✨ Enemies to lovers 🔥
✨ Academy + elemental magic 🌿💨
✨ Outlander-turned-Citadel cadet + found family 🫶🏻
✨ Slow burn + tension 🥵
✨ Broody, dark MMC ⚔️

Lyra, living as an Outlander, only agreed to spend a month at the Citadel in exchange for access to her mother’s journals. But once inside, she’s drawn into a world where magic is taught, honed, and wielded daily, alongside shadows, danger, and high-stakes rivalries ⚡

Talen is broody, lethal, and impossible to ignore. From the very first meeting when he casually announces he plans to kill her, he’s both terrifying and magnetic.

“He looks like a weapon carved into a man. Cut jaw, broad shoulders, hands you don’t want around you but can’t stop imagining there anyway.”

Their chemistry is taut, slow-burn, and layered. The tension isn’t just romantic; it’s a collision of trust, power, and danger:

“He’s still everything I’m supposed to hate. Do hate. He’s still a weapon, I haven’t forgotten that. But he did save my life. Twice.” 🔥

Dragons appear as a tantalising backdrop rather than a focus, hinting at bigger threats in book 2 🐉✨

Elemental magic that’s tricky, powerful, and full of surprises, keeping the tension high every step of the way 💨🌿🔥

The found family - Ezzy, Rowan, and Finn - grounds Lyra beautifully. Their loyalty, humour, and care offer warmth in a story full of shadows 🫶🏻

“The truth is a…precarious thing around here, Lyra. Sometimes silence is the only way to say it.”

And the last 15%? Plot twists, heartbreak, and cliffhangers that will leave you gasping 💔😳

This debut grabs you from the start and never lets go, and while it naturally invites comparisons to other academy-dragon-enemies-to-lovers stories, it stands strong with its voice, tension, and worldbuilding. Book 2 cannot come soon enough ✨

Thank you so much to Becky Jane Fox for this arc 🫶🏻

Chaos, vibes, and opinions are all my own ✨ please give credit if you share.

[teather.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Vibes: 🐉❤️‍🔥✨🥀🏰⚡️

Add to your TBR if you love:
↪︎ Found Family
↪︎ A Dark Broody MMC
↪︎ Enemies to Lovers
↪︎ An Academy Setting
↪︎ Elemental Magic
↪︎ Exiled Dragons
↪︎ Tension
↪︎ A Slow Burn

Characters: 🚻
Lyra- She flawed. She may make you bang your head against a wall one too many times BUT she’s loyal and the potential to grow.
Talen- From the very first encounter he’s already admits to wanting to kill her?!?! This man is toxic but like in a hot way? 😂❤️‍🔥

Thoughts: 💭
This was a solid read. I found myself enjoying it most of the time but there was a few things I wish there was more of like the dragons. I also thought the stakes weren’t anything too jaw dropping. I could have used a more wow or shock but overall it still had great characters and chemistry! It was a delicious slow burn that was layered with power, tension, yearning and trust. The romance definitely lead the book. I feel like book 2 has a chance to be even better as there’s hope to have more depth and dragons? 👀 hopefully 🤞🏼

Thank you so much Netgalley and Becky Jane Fox for the arc copy!

[The Chapter Chaser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catchy, promising, and unique… but dragged down by repetition—saved by a surprising MMC who brings new direction and dimension to the story’s potential.

⭐ 3–3.5 stars — with huge and strong potential for Book 2
Thank you Netgalley and Becky Jane Fox for the ARC

I genuinely enjoyed this book, especially the beginning.
It throws you straight into the action, almost too much at times. The FMC is constantly running, jumping, reaching, escaping… it’s intense, breathless, and relentless. We barely have time to catch our breath, and I truly thought, finally—we have a very strong and dynamic narrative ahead of us. The writing feels sharp, the chaos sets the tone beautifully, and we’re immediately immersed in her urgency and strength.

The originality of the story is definitely one of its strongest aspects. The world-building and the dragon-rider dynamics feel fresh. Even with the academic setting, it doesn’t fall into a Yarros–Empyrean-style copycat pattern, which I appreciated. The promise is clearly there.

However —and this is the book’s main issue—once the FMC is integrated “by force” into the school, the narrative begins to lose momentum. The pacing flattens, and repetition becomes noticeable. We get two attractive fighting scenes that feel almost copy-pasted. Instead of escalating tension, they mirror each other too closely.
That’s really the core problem: repetition, structural imbalance, and a loss of the dynamic energy that made the opening so gripping. Each time something new seems about to start, it falls flat too quickly. It becomes frustrating. The intensity and complexity that carried the first chapters slowly fade—and with them, the initial excitement.

The side characters are also full of potential, but they’re neglected. Then suddenly, they begin to grow interesting again, almost too late. The FMC’s relationship with her new “best friends” feels somewhat immature and, at the same time, underdeveloped. There’s depth there, but it isn’t fully explored.

Fortunately, we re-engage through the MMC, who brings a much-needed shift in energy. Let’s talk about him. Yes, he’s attractive—even if he’s a bit of an ass. And honestly… we’re here for it. Once we learn his backstory, it’s compelling and gives the book a fresh breath of air—a real relief after narrative stagnation. Finally, the complex fantasy elements and meaningful stakes return. It was about time.

I sincerely hope for dual narration in Book 2.
There’s so much potential in exploring his perspective more deeply. Expanding his role could elevate the emotional stakes and add the dimension that the FMC’s storyline sometimes lacks in the second half.

I will definitely read Book 2 because this world still has a lot to give.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that I got to read Veins of Power for my very first ARC read. This book had all the tropes and vibes that I love in a romantasy book.

I'm a sucker for a dark academia setting like this where the FMC has to learn her powers whilst avoiding being killed by her peers. Lyra is super badass and doesn't back down from a fight. The enemies to lovers slow burn was done so well, with amazing spice and there's also a great found family in there too!

The plot had so many twists, (especially the ending!) and I'm already dying to read book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and of course the talented Becky Jane Fox for allowing me to read this masterpiece! I can't wait to watch this blow up when it's published!

[Haleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

Is the book good or was it just the last 100 pages? I fear this one might've been the last 100 (or last 25% so more than 100 pages).

There were many positives:
The magic system is fully explained and well rounded. We get a TON of depth with the magic system which I love, and it's also an extremely unique thread magic system which I haven't read before. We get detailed explanations throughout about how the magic works.

The last 25% was actually really really good. If I was just dealing with that it would be a solid 5 🌟 read. The pacing, the action, the information was all attention grabbing and necessary.

The secondary characters were really allowed to shine and I appreciated it.

Buuuuuut with the positives come the negatives:
The first half of this book was a complete drag. The FMC spends the whole time confused and repeating the same inner monolgues. She thinks about a problem, goes in a circle trying to figure out the problem, and then just ends the same place she started: confused. It wouldn't be that much of a problem IF she didn't keep going back to the same 3 topics. It just got super repetitive, specifically the inner monolgues about our MMC and our FMCs lack of control, and there were so many.

DON'T tell me "enemies to lovers" when it's insta-lust with a coupling of "I can't have him, I hate his family". It's the BIGGEST pet peeve of mine when all these authors blurb their books with "enemies to lovers" when it's insta-lust and a backburner of last-name-i-cant-have-them. ESPECIALLY when the main characters start off instantly not only with lust, but with protection. Our MMC went straight to protect mode. The relationship development is basically identical to fourth wing (and many other books ofc but I figure fourth wing is one many people have read). Lust eyes across the room, empty direct threats at first meeting, followed by life-saving protection. That's just NOT enemies to lovers.

The twists were dreadfully obvious. :(

***Thank you Becky Jane Fox for this ARC. My review is voluntary and all thoughts and opinions are my own***

[Ceacea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Becky Jane Fox for the eARC.
Genre: Fantasy Romance
⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶 2/5
🧠 4/10
Cliffhanger 7/10 (The whole final act was crazy!)
Noteworthy: Book 1 of an incomplete series. Single first-person POV. Darker themes so check the content warnings. Publication date is 1/19/2026.

I love supporting indie authors and books like this are why. This is a clever mashup of Harry Potter and Fourth Wing with a dash of The Lies of Lena. There were several times I was caught off guard here. Books like this are why I have trust issues. 😂

Our main character Lyra is a strong willed character who is bursting at the seams with magic that she has no idea how to control. She finds herself in a situation where she is offered a deal that would have her train her magic in a cutthroat academy for one month in exchange for information she desperately wants. What ensues is a journey of Lyra doing her best to figure out not only herself but the truth about the world around her. This first book is her navigating landmines set by her decisions and lack of emotional control. The potential love interests are vastly different at this point. Bren is her childhood bestie and Talen is her main nemesis on campus. If Bren is a warm cozy blanket, Talen is an electric blanket with some short circuits that you fear could kill you at anytime but it makes you feel alive.

As the story unfolds we are met with twists and turns that personally shocked me at times. This is a decent sized book but it's mostly Lyra trying to survive day to day and figuring things out along the way. It sets up the next book to be a banger with the final puzzle pieces we need.

If you like an academia setting with elemental magic, a heated rivals to lovers story, or a book that will keep you guessing throughout, pick this one up!

[Flame and Fable · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has serious Fourth Wing vibes with a touch of A Discovery of Witches, thanks to a magic system built on elemental threads—Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. While there were a few moments that felt a little ‘copy and paste’, it was still an enjoyable read with a very satisfying “fuck it” moment.

Talen is a morally grey MMC giving serious Professor Xaden energy (from Onyx Storm)—except instead of shadows, he controls air and sound. Lyra slightly reminded me of Diana from A Discovery of Witches as she learns to understand and control the different threads of her magic, but she’s flawed and has a good arc through the book.

This is an academy setting with found family, dragons in exile, a fake relationship, love triangle, rebellion, forbidden magic, slow burn tension, and some great twists. I especially loved the friendship group—Finn the joker, Rowan the stoic protector, and Ezzy the loyal, kind-hearted friend.

There is a miscommunication trope, and around the 80% mark I did get a bit frustrated with the FMC. It’s very much Talon saying “I can’t tell you anything, but trust me” vs Lyra saying “I don’t trust you, but let’s keep sleeping together.”

That said, this book has real potential. It’s an easy read, the worldbuilding and magic system are clear, and the author’s writing style is strong. That ending has definitely set things up nicely, and I’m looking forward to seeing where book two goes.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book. I had a good time reading. All opinions are my own.

Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.5

I received this book as an ARC but waited to leave my review since it wasn’t a 4+

I so WANTED to love this. I wanted to SO badly. It was entertaining but wasn’t captivating.
Unfortunately, couldn’t get vested in this story until about 60%. Even then the same phrases and internal dialogue were regurgitated ad nauseum.

The beginning, I got it --but it was just … too much about her threads and her explosiveness and GHAD.... that fucking duck... that I just kept putting it down when I got annoyed (which was A LOT). And I’m a LOVER of purple prose but this isn’t even that. This is just repetitive.

The middle… eh... academic bullying and drama… truthfully, it’s just not my thing. I was hoping this wasn’t turning into something like Zodiac Academy (which I DNF'd) but this had some good interactions and power plays. Lots left me wondering.... why?

The ending was good. I liked it.

I feel like if this had been culled down a couple hundred pages or more, it would have had been better but this was a 700 page marathon. Sometimes those are good because the world building is intense and enriching but this wasn't that -- it was just the same thing on repeat.

The last 40% saved the book.

There were still some plot holes... I'm hoping the second addresses those. I WILL read the next one... I loved the MMC and FMC's bond that neither seem to understand.

And frankly, there are some people I need to see killed off.

Oh, and dragons... who doesn't love dragons?!

I need to know the issue with the dead eyes.... BUT I don't want to read about the MMC's eyes one more fucking time. Like... STOP DESCRIBING HIS EYEBALLS WITH THE GOLD RING....

The female villain in here -- great twist.
The found family trope -- loved.
Leaving your comfort and the guy you adore to go take on the world -- totally gave me some Hunger Games / Divergent kinda vibes.. This was a debut novel so I have a feeling it'll get better and better!

[Pages_Of_TheGrimRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🌶️🌶️

Looking for your next romantasy series?
You'll want to pick this one up!
Thank you @netgalley for this ARC!

× × ✞ × ×

My first book read in 2026 and I was not disappointed at all!

First off, I was impressed by the magic system, I thought it was unique and really well done.
I really enjoyed the world build and progressing through the story, it's dark, gritty and the twists and turns kept me guessing and wanting to uncover more.
The more I read, the better it got and the ending... 😱 Talk about a cliff hanger! 🫨

When it came to the characters, I liked their individual personalities and the relationship dynamics throughout the story.
The romance to this book is a slow-burn, almost tormenting me as the reader, it's tense, but I do like that it builds it up slowly, balancing out nicely with the story.
Lyra is absolutely fierce 🔥 Being our fiery, sharp tongue, strong MFC, she doesn't back down from any challenge.
As for Talen ... Well you'll just have to find out what he's all about 😏

☾⋆

If you like a well built fantasy world with magic, dragons, action and the enemy to lovers trope, this is one for you!