Daughter of the Drowned Empire

Drowned Empire #1

by Frankie Diane Mallis

Cleopatra meets Fourth Wing in this romantic fantasy series with forbidden romance, political intrigue, and slow burn spice.

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Lady Lyriana Batavia is third in line to the Seat of Power in a position of wealth and privilege, but not safety. Bamaria falls under the rule of the Lumerian Empire, survivors of a celestial war whose island sank in the Drowning. Now all Lumerians submit to the Emperor and his strict laws about magic. He decides what magic can be practiced and what powers remain forbidden. He decides who will die for possession of forbidden magic.

Lyr's own cousin was executed for wielding the wrong kind. And for years, Lyr has sworn to protect her older sisters, helping them conceal their own illicit magic.

But when Lyr must participate in the ceremony that reveals her power, she uncovers something else entirely. Something that means banishment from the Empire.

Faced with death in exile, and leaving her sisters behind, Lyr has no choice but to accept a deadly contract. She has seven months to train as a warrior and pass the Emperor's brutal test of strength, without magic.

But when she's forced to train with Lord Rhyan Hart, the man she's secretly loved since she was a girl—a feared warrior in exile himself, forbidden to her in every way—she's in danger of losing far more than her family, life, and country.

Rebel forces, and an invading army, are destabilizing Bamaria, just as her family's secrets threaten to reveal themselves.

Surviving the training, and saving her sisters may mean sacrificing her own heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Magic, New Adult, High Fantasy

454 pages, ebook

Published February 22, 2022

Reviews

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay. i truly have no recollection of how i came across this book, but i am so glad i did. a gift from the book gods themselves.

this is everything i need in terms of unique magic, compelling court dynamics, and the sweet angst of a slow-burn forbidden romance. i mean, if the following except from the synopsis doesnt make you want to read this, then i dont know what will.

‘but when shes forced to train with lord rhyan hart, the man shes secretly loved since she was a girl—a feared warrior in exile himself, forbidden to her in every way—shes in danger of losing far more than her family, life, and country.’

i devoured this in one sitting. and there is so much teasing and plot build-up for what i expect to be an even more engaging sequel (if thats even possible). i cant wait to get my hands on the next book!

↠ 4.5 stars

[astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You choose. You can let what the others think about you be right, you can let your guilt and shame hold you down, or you can decide your fate, assert the strength you do have, become stronger than ever before. But you have to claim it. And when you do, you can be freer than a seraphim. Stronger than a gryphon. No ropes can hold you. No cage can trap you."

Here's the actual footage of me after finishing this book:



🦅𝗗𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗘 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗜𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗦🦅
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝙳𝚁𝙾𝚆𝙽𝙴𝙳 𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙸𝚁𝙴 #𝟷
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝙷𝙸𝙶𝙷 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 - 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲 - 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙿𝙾𝙻𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙶𝚄𝙴𝚂
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝙲𝙷𝙾𝚂𝙴𝙽 𝙾𝙽𝙴 - 𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙱𝙸𝙳𝙳𝙴𝙽 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 - 𝚃𝙾𝙾 𝙶𝙾𝙾𝙳 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙻𝙳 𝙵𝙼𝙲 - 𝙰𝙿𝙿𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙲𝙴/𝙽𝙾𝚅𝙸𝙲𝙴 𝙱𝙾𝙳𝚈𝙶𝚄𝙰𝚁𝙳/𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙶𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚃𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙴 𝙰𝙵 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚃 - 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚃 𝙷𝙰𝚂 𝙰 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 - 𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙳𝙸𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝚈𝙾𝚄 - 𝚃𝙰𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙲𝙰𝚁𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝙸𝙽𝙹𝚄𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/5
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/5
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜📜/5
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀💀/5 (𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙿𝙷𝚈𝚂𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙿𝚂𝚈𝙲𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙾𝙶𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 - 𝙶𝙰𝚂𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙾𝚂𝚃𝚁𝙰𝙲𝙸𝚂𝙼 - 𝙲𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝚂𝙼 - 𝙳𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂 𝚁𝙸𝚅𝙰𝙻𝚁𝚈)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🔥🔥/5 (𝚅𝙸𝚁𝙶𝙸𝙽 𝙵𝙼𝙲 - 𝙷𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙾 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙰𝚂𝙴 [𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚃 *𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕 𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑* 𝚈𝙴𝚃])
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬 & 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🚒🚒/5 (𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙲𝚄𝚁𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝙱𝙾𝚈𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂 𝙰 𝙻𝙾𝚃 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙷𝙰𝚅𝙴 𝙰 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙿𝙻𝙴 𝙳𝚁𝚈 𝙷𝚄𝙼𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚂𝙴𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙸 𝚆𝙸𝚂𝙷 𝙸 𝙳𝙸𝙳𝙽'𝚃 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳 - 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚃 𝚆𝙰𝚂 𝙵𝙼𝙲'𝚂 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙷𝙰𝚄𝙽𝚃𝚂 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝚆𝙴𝚃 𝙳𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙼𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝙳𝙰𝚈 [𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝚃𝙱𝙷])
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐🤐🤐/5 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙳, 𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚂𝙴𝚇𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝚂𝙸𝚃𝚄𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 🌹🌹🌹🌹/5 (𝙱𝙾𝙾 𝚃𝚁𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽, 𝚆𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽 𝙾𝚄𝚁 𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙻𝙾𝚁𝙳 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙳 𝙴𝚁𝙼 𝙸 𝙼𝙴𝙰𝙽 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝚃)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔💔/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ✔️
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙿𝚃𝚂𝙳 - 𝙰𝙽𝚇𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 - 𝚂𝚄𝚁𝚅𝙸𝚅𝙾𝚁 𝙶𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚃
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤/5
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙲𝚁𝙾𝚆𝙽 - 𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙸𝙴 𝙶𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

I often begin my reviews listing the reasons why I loved a book and then proceed to list those that didn't convince me, but I'm gonna do things a little differently this time around and begin with the negative traits so that I can get them out of the way now and forever.

So. Let's get it over with.
First of all, you'll need to be patient with this book if you decide to pick it up.
I'm saying this with the bleeding heart of someone who ended up loving the book, despite its flaws, so if you're picky like I am when it comes to high fantasy, be gentle with FDM and yourself.
My ebook's map is so tiny, stretched and approximate I had to take a master in topology to understand a single thing I was seeing. Didn't work.
The world-building is very messy and the lore undeniably confusing; again, this is costructive criticism, not plain critique.
There was so much foreign lore thrown at the reader, so much of it that made little to no sense, so many names of people and places and beasts and creatures just randomly there, I considered taking notes at some point.
I've read the entire thing, adored most of it, but there are still things that I have no idea what they are.
My ebook has some sort of almanac at the end, so I recommend studying it a little before reading the book or, even better, during the book. Had I known it was there, it would have made things way easier for me.
The second thing that sort of bothered me and kept me from giving this 5 stars, was the fact that the main character is a little too much YA coded and sometimes, unfortunately, feels too much of a Mary Sue for her own good, not too mention she was the epitome of TSTL. I wanted to strangle her a couple times during some scenes, but then she finally redeemed herself and I understood that her being unsufferable was probably part of her character's arc.

As you may have guessed, I ended up thinking Lyr is a wonderful person and a lovable character that has some growing to do ahead of her, so I took back her Mary Sue card and proudly promoted her to badass and selfless main character status.
The way she's always putting others's needs above hers, the way she's simply a fighter but capable or recognizing her limits, made my newest obsession with this series possible.
Also, the name Lyr reminds me of Lyra, which is one of my favorite people on GR.
But these are not the only reasons.
There's a super cool magic system, Lyr's sisters who I need to know more about, and a setting that I can't wait to delve into in the sequel. But most of all...there's Rhyan.


Oh, Rhyan.
Sweet, beautiful, protective, beautiful, smart, beautiful, strong, b e a u t i f u l Rhyan.
There must be some proof out there that acknowledges all romantic poetry out there was inspired by him.
I love how he's always thre for Lyr, always defending her, being adorable and flirty, but also always ready to teach her a lesson or to put her in her place when she needs it.
We need more (beautiful) Rhyans in our lives.

Romance was pretty fine.
There is some sort of love triangle goin on, but not really, because while Lyr and Rhyan (and did I mention he's beautiful) clearly have feelings for each other, they can't act on them because it's forbidden.
Yeah, as if that's ever stopped us, right?
And Lyr is with Tristan, anyway.

Like, okay, I get it. But also...ughhhhhhh. Fuck off, Lord Grey.
I really can't wait to read the sequel, because Lyr and Rhyan (so beautiful *heart eyes and eggplant emoji*) have left me pining and craving for more and more and more and more and so on till I turn gray and old but will still appreciate a sexy romance book and a hot fictional tattoed daddy.

Plotwise speaking, I was impressed by how likeable this is and how fast-paced a book like this can be. FDM's writing is very good and easily quotable, even if some action scenes could use more work, in my opinion.
I had lots of fun, though, and overall, I think I've found a new favorite author and a new favorite series.

This book was highly and indirectly recommended to me by Miss Lila Sunshine and Lady Koisty Tangerine who were reading book 3 when I started this, and were gushing about it and Lord Rhyan (repeat after me...) Hart so fervently I couldn't not pick this up.
Now I know who I'll have to blame if I end up a pining mess after Guardian Of The Drowned Empire.

[lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

— 5 stars ☆

“You choose. You can let what the others think about you be right, you can let your guilt and shame hold you down, or you can decide your fate, assert the strength you do have, become stronger than ever before. But you have to claim it. And when you do, you can be freer than a seraphim. Stronger than a gryphon. No ropes can hold you. No cage can trap you.”

i love this series so much, one of my fav fantasy series ever and i highly recommend to literally everyone who loves reading (to and i quote, "share the joy"). really, this is a gem in the fantasy romance genre, not to be missed

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this with my absolute gorgeous, brilliant bestie Cecelia! Going back and forth between chapters with our theories and talking about things we thought were funny made the experience so delightful.

This book touched on so many interesting themes and the world is vast and layered. There is political intrigue, magic, prophecies and mysteries everywhere. I felt like the world building was a bit overwhelming and I had re-read and go back to make sure I was understanding everything that was going on but that's expected sometimes in an intro book to a new fantasy world.

I know Rhyan is the hearthrob of these books, and he totally is, I loved him! But my favorite character was actually Aemon! I mean they call him THE READY!!! Hello!!! I found him so appealing and interesting. Cecelia and I were crushing on him hard!

Thanks to Koisty for the awesome rec!!!

[Koisty · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 “Hello Lover” Stars ⭐️

I was not ready for this…

I was not ready for this masterpiece! This book needs all the hype!!! Like shout it from the rooftops, display a full on bat signal. The world needs to know about this book!!!

I was not ready for the emotional ride, complex world building, intricate magic system and utterly compelling story.

I was not ready for this book to speak to my soul and tick every single one of the boxes that I need in a Fantasy Romance.

I was not ready for this to make such an impact and my God am I glad that this book came onto my radar and I had the opportunity to read it because I am hooked…and I cannot wait to get into book 2.

This story is about Lyriana who is an Heir to the Arkasva and third in line in the Ruling Ka (yes it’s confusing just bear with me…). Two years prior, on her birthday and her cousin’s Revelation Ceremony; her cousin is arrested and killed for being in possession of one of the three Vorakh, taboo powers after the Drowning of the empire - visions, mind-reading and teleportation. Lyr’s father protects her eldest sister from discovery as she is also in possession of one of these forbidden powers (Visions). A year later Lyr’s middle sister also has to be protected as she possesses Mind Reading. Lyr does everything for her sisters as it’s a death sentence for the whole family if their secret is ever discovered. On Lyr’s Revelation Ceremony she is sure that she is going to be revealed as Vorakh. However events transpire and to stop herself from being banished from the Empire she has seven months to train as a brutal warrior and pass a test of strength. Did I mention that her main trainer is Lord Rhyan Hart, the man she has been in love with since she was seven…

The world building is extremely complicated and it did take me a little getting used to as you are thrown into the deep end with terminology, expressions and a complex magic system. I honestly don’t think I fully understand the system and how it all works even though there is a glossary at the back and some key “appendix’s” that do help explain some of the lore, political system, roles and ranks…

This didn’t stop me from not loving the book. It feels like this book is setting the scene and laying the foundation for what is yet to come in the subsequent books and you can spot small seeds that have been planted and hinted at that I hope will start growing soon in book 2.

Lyr is an amazing character and is the exact reason I love NA. She is not perfect and sometimes is reckless, selfish and frustrating but she is also compassionate, selfless and determined to protect her family and empire. I think she is truly inspirational given all she goes through in this book and I cannot wait to see what more becomes of her and where her Journey takes her.

Rhyan is my new book boyfriend. He is witty, sarcastic, intelligent, open minded, protective and caring. There is still an air of mystery about him as not much is fully known about his motivations and backstory, but you can’t help but trust him and know he has Lyr’s best interests at heart.

The Imperator as the villain was also done really well! He is cruel, vindictive and flaunts his power and prestige to just make you hate him. I could understand why he was awful but could also see why so many people followed him…. Really well written character!

Overall! This was amazing! Brilliantly fantastic and more people need to read this ASAP so we can all fawn over Rhyan and wish we were Lyr!

[☾`ACourtOfKindles~☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughter of the Drowned Empire

"Hello, Lover"

*Cue uncontrollable screaming because that is what I am currently doing after finishing this absolute MASTERPIECE !!*

I want to start this with I had the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review and I am so thankful because this book is life changing.

Rating : 5 muthafreaking stars
Spice : 2/5 there were some good little spice scenes but I am assuming more will come in book two. I was just BEGGING for a kiss between two specific characters or spice between these two SPECIFIC CHARACTERS and IDEK how I am going to wait for this next book.
Emotional Breakdown? YES I AM HAVING IT NOW.

This book had me on the edge of my seat for the entire ride. I was panting from the suspense. The story was beautifully written, and it made an absolutely amazing start to what I know will be an amazing series. The character development and the plot are so intense that it will leave you breathless begging for more.

"I am Lady Lyriana Batavia, Heir to the Arkasva, High Lord of Bamaria."

Lyriana is an absolutely amazing main character. She is strong, she is driven, and she went through hell and back in this book and still came out kicking. There were so many moments where I was shocked frozen by what she went through and was mentally begging the author to give her a break but Lyr came out stronger after each moment and I just know we are building up to something amazing in book two. I have a hunch of what it could be, and I am literally screaming crying shaking for me to be right.

"Listen carefully," Rhyan's voice was low. "You're going to be the worst one out there."
"Screw you."

RHYANNNN, I think I am in love or is it too soon? Rhyan was a breath of fresh air. I am so used to my dark haired, darked eyed bad boy lovelies that Ms. Mallis gave me sweet, bronzed curls and emerald eyes and I SWOONED. My type was set in stone and Rhyan wrecked it completely. He went through hell and back from what we know, and I am entirely convinced my bronzed curled baby deserves the world. I was so obsessed with his and Lyr's interactions and back and forth that I probably had a deranged smile on my face every single time.

"If a gryphon just tried to tear that rope, they'd be free in seconds, but they don't do it because they don't know this. I wanted to remind myself. Every time I thought I couldn't do something, a task felt too big, an enemy too scary, I imagined they were nothing more than a thin, puny rope. And no rope can hold me."-Rhyan

There were of course many other characters, but Lyr and Rhyan were my favorite. Other than Lyr's sister, Morgana who we meet a few times. "Put your Godsdamned arm down. I'm not flashing tattoos every time you want unity." I loved her fire! How she tells Lyr how it is because Lyr definitely needs to hear it.

Where this book was the first book in this series it has a lot of world building and there are a ton of words thrown at you to learn but it is delivered so amazingly that I was able to retain the information given without any issues. The story is literally that good. I am so excited for the sequel. I ABSOLUTELY need to know what happens next!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[thewordlover · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 51%

I’ve been exploring new authors lately and it hasn’t been going well.

I struggled to like most of the characters because they are stereotypically YA to a fault. The MC is a special snowflake in the making; her current boyfriend is ~nice~ but not that nice and she keeps making excuses for him; the actual love interest is everything she needs but can’t have (or won’t have bc she’s dumb); the bad guy(s?) is/are pure scheming evil for no apparent reason and like, no one stops him/them; and so on. The one group of people that stand to become more interesting is her family and yet we barely spend any time with them.

I found the Lyriana/Tristan relationship completely pointless. I could’ve gotten behind the idea if it was only for political protection, but the incessant internal monologue trying to convince us that she actually liked him was a completely unnecessary attempt to create a love triangle, which only really work when we are not sure who the MC is going to end up with (and sometimes not even then), and it’s obvious who it’s going to be here. There is literally no end to her “I have so many responsibilities that I need to fulfill for my family” spiel, so she would’ve been a much more consistent character (and the story would’ve been much stronger) had she actually stopped liking Tristan after the first chapter and only stayed with him to allay any suspicions about her sisters. (Also any sexual scenes between them were super awkward—very weird to read.)

The worldbuilding is actually pretty awesome (which is why I gave it two stars and not one)—but I read half the book and I barely get where we are/what’s happening/where the story is going. I’m the first one to complain about info dumps but this—this is too much too fast. I saw multiple spots where the story would’ve benefited off of spending a paragraph or two going over the weird fantastic creatures they have, or the layout of the land, or the socio-political structure of their society, and where all of that stands in relation to the human world (which they off-handedly mention like, once?). Also, the plot is just so choppy. No seamless flow at all. Suffice it to say that I’m very lost.

If you actually read this book and have no clue what I’m talking about, well me neither.

[Flora (Helia's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHHH FUCKING HELL ANOTHER ROMANTASY THAT IS UNDERRATED BUT SO MUCH BETTER THAN WHATEVER THE FUCK FOURTH WING AND CRESCENT CITY WERE???

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎)]

→ welcome to yet another episode of epic flops by AI: book edition!

i’ve had this book on my tbr forever, so when gemini recommended it, i was like bet, let’s do this! but no. i asked for a face paced book and this is… anything but. in reality, it has a lot of potential: the premise is good, the characters are relatable, and the yearning is there, but it was just too slow for me at the moment. the other thing that annoyed me slightly is that the description of the book covers up to about 52% of the book, so i was just sitting there waiting for stuff that i already knew was going to happen, to happen. but obviously, i’m going to blame AI for this little mix up 😽


on pause - 12.7.25 - 60%
—————————-

- preread 🌊 -
i asked gemini what book i should read next and it gave me this. this damn ai better not fail me LOL 🤞

[Frankie Mallis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my book. What else can I say? I love it. I love this story, I love this world, I love these characters with all my heart and soul and I am so excited to share this with the world and for more readers to be introduced to Lyr's story.

Want to start reading? Read Chapter One Here: https://frankiedianemallis.s3.us-east...

[Anila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been on my TBR for a while and I decided to finally give it a go.

There was a lot of new words and phrases that were thrown at us in the first few chapters, and so it took me a while to grasp this new fantasy world. I mean the amount of titles that each person has was actually crazy. I just ended up rolling with it. There were some modern words that were used at certain points as well which was a little jarring for me. It just didn’t fit the fantasy genre.

The FMC Lyriana (Lyr for short) was likeable at the start but she got more annoying as the story went on. She was childish, reckless, arrogant and stupid. She could be very hypocritical too. I’m hoping we get to see her grow more into her role as a warrior in the future books because she is honestly still struggling right now in training. To be fair, she has only gotten a month of training so far. She is not perfect, but she has potential. I loved her relationship with her sisters. They bickered and fought like normal siblings, but they were also protective of each other.

And Rhyan!!! From his first appearance, no not even, his first line, I immediately loved him. He was snarky, protective, intelligent and caring. He was the absolute best! The romance was very much a slow burn and I can’t wait until Lyr and Rhyan actually kiss. Tristan, Lyr’s boyfriend, was in this book more than Rhyan and I’m praying that is flipped as the series goes on. He is basically Tamlin or Dain 2.0. I just wanted him to go away. He wasn’t terrible but he definitely got on my nerves. Lyr is basically using him and so their relationship is not one I’m rooting for.

I have seen a lot of people compare this to Fourth Wing and I can see some similarities, but it is very much its own thing. I might continue the series in the future but we’ll see🤨

[Lyra (Cardan's tail's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

—4.5 stars—

“Hello, lover.”

————about the book————

Age: YA/NA
Genres: Fantasy
Cliffhanger: not especially
Writing: 8/10
Quotes: 8/10
World building: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Romance: 7/10
My rating: 8.5/10

‼️spoilers below‼️

———my feelings———

First of all, I would like to say that Lord Rhyan Hart is mine. All mine. (Sorry Lyr, Koisty, Lila, and Lia)
I’m quite tempted to make that my whole review
BUT ANYWAY—
I really, REALLY liked this! I loved Lyr so much, and she reminded me of Feyre and Jude a little (high praise from me). I loved her relationship with her sisters and how protective she is of them—that was the bit that reminded me of Feyre the most.
The world building was amazing! It managed to create and explain this whole world without me feeling lost once! (Although, I probably should have read the glossary at the end first—😩)
The majority of this book is basically training, which got a little repetitive and slow around the middle of the book, but it soon began to pick up again because of Rhyan.
I’m really worried about the “apprentices and their charge must not fall in love” thing. This better not be some sort of Parabatai kind of shit—I will not cope😭
Anyway, in conclusion, I love Lyr, Rhyan is the sweetest darling, and Tristan can die.
I WILL be picking up the next book, but not immediately!

———Characters ———

Lyr: Brave and willing to do anything for her sisters, I love her so much! I think her character’s going to grow a lot through the series.

Rhyan: stop I love him so much. Caring and protective, he hides his kind side under a cold exterior. but honestly I love him so much ahhhhhhh

Morgana: she reminds me of Nesta so much I have to mention her!

Tristan: fuck off. nobody wants you.

————Quotes————

“We four keep this secret. We four die by this secret.”

“I strangled rumours, covered missteps, and danced day and night to keep everyone’s eyes on me and not my sisters.”

“Control what they see, and you control what they think.”

“Nothing can hurt you right now, Lyr. Nothing. I’m right here.”

“Our stations in life come with privilege, but they also weigh us down with golden chains.”

————Songs————

Game of survival -Ruelle

Never say die -Neoni

Warrior -Beth Crowley

Never let me go -Florence + the machine

———Random extra thoughts———

I love when there’s a name pronunciation guide😭 fantasy names always confuse me

gosh the cover’s so pretty

Thanks for reading!❤️
—————————————
Because of my little devil influences���Koisty, Lila, and Lia

[Zeph rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yall have to read this

[Kay ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me trying to read the tiny map on my Kindle:


Me trying to process all the lore:


I love some good world building but there's a lot to take in. A dozen different kingdoms, ruling families, counsel members, imperators, magical races, animal species... and of course there's a made-up language with honorifics, titles, and full-blown sentences in the made-up language. I found myself glazing over whenever they would get into origin myths. I wouldn't say the lore is boring, but the book can seriously infodump at times.

Besides the impressive (impressive for the sheer fact that it's extensive) world building, I HATE when authors make the lead character a punching bag. Everyone's out to get the heroine and she just accepts it like the good little martyr she is. She's also self sacrificing for her family, so pious and perfect! 🙄 She even sticks around with a boyfriend she secretly hates for TWO YEARS? The excuse is something about optics, I think? It doesn't hold water, all he's there for is to make a love triangle. The steamy scenes with her boyfriend make me so mad because it's basically rape even though he doesn't know she doesn't want it. Why are there so many scenes with him? Absolutely disgusting 🤢

Doesn't end on an exciting cliffhanger, but more of a "to be continued." it's like pausing the Mulan movie right before her personal-growth/training montage

I'm mad about the punching bag stuff but I predict (hope for) 5⭐ potential in the next book. We'll seeeeeeee!

[Aoife - Bookish_Babbling · Rating 3 out of 5]

GR book blurb describes this as Cleopatra meets Throne of Glass which makes me feel better about the Roman vibes this was giving me with all the talk of sandals even if I was obvs a little off base with historical context 🫣

3.25*
As altho pitched as NA with 19yr old h and some Bad Teacher clothed on page action it felt much more YA to me 🤷‍♀️
Lyr has plenty scope for growth and I'm curious enough to read more in the series if my library gets the other books...afraid I'm not invested enough to buy them for myself tho - soz 😶
I much prefer where she ends the book vs where we meet her. I'm sure I'm supposed to feel more for her considering the secrets she carries and the position(s) she finds herself in during this book and maybe it's the kinda first person single PoV but I wasn't really invested till towards the end and she finally starts taking ownership + actually makes a decision for herself 😬
I'm prob being harsh, but considering the double life we're told she's been leading she's rather naive and it lowkey irked me to no end that she doesn't really take agency for herself for so long 🙈

For fans of ACOTAR another T vs R set up with same initials and everything, hardly reinventing the wheel here altho there is an added dimension of teacherXapprentice no romance allowed vibes - but with Mercurials hints I've a feeling I know how they're going to get around this 🤔

Magic system seems interesting if underdeveloped in this first book, thankfully there's a glossary of sorts at the back of the book which explained the magical creatures mentioned throughout; pity I didn't find it till the end tho - I'll come back to learn more about them and the Afeya who're interesting & obvs going to play more of a role. Hopefully they might also be able to help the sisters who are pretty bland despite cool abilities, please don't fridge/sacrifice them - I wanna see them flourish & thrive 🤞

I don't mean to be harsh but this book was 450+ pages yet not a lot happens, I wasn't at the edge of my seat at any point. So far it's pretty formulaic with signposts/hints at what's to come - there's a big bad, there'll possibly be a forbidden love/love triangle & presumably family betrayals. There's mythology that I'm guessing will play a much bigger role and our powerless h will undoubtedly not be so for long altho it would make for a far more interesting story imho if she does not become the all powerful being hinted at (that is if I'm correctly interpreting a certain scene/vision during the white robe ceremony) 🤗

Quick read that kept me turning the pages altho now that I'm trying to share thoughts it's hit home how little really happened - I guess a selling point is it doesn't end on a cliffhanger 🫠

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ - 🌶️

A good start to a Fantasy Romance story! Was a little slow to start, with it taking a while to get to the main plot and a LOT of info dumping that was hard to understand for a good bit of the book but you slowly start to understand! Excited to see where this goes!

[☾All of Meg☀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hello, Lover”

*melts*

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Tension: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Spice: 🌶️.5/5

What to expect:
✔️Enchanting world-building
✔️“Who did this to you?”
✔️Forced proximity
✔️Gods/goddesses
✔️Political intrigue
✔️A unique magic system
✔️Forbidden romance
✔️Badass female MC ⚔️
✔️Protective and charismatic male MC 🥵

I devoured this book in one sitting by staying up until 3am and I have no regrets. I can’t even begin to explain how much I loved this book and how desperate I am to read the next one 🙈

Lyriana is a strong, selfless heroine who would do anything to protect her family.

Rhyan is everything. That is all.

I think this was definitely a case of right book, right time. It was just exactly what I needed/was looking for at the time I read it and I’m so thankful I found it 😍

[°мαggιє° (っ⚈ᴥ⚈)っ™ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am really frustrated at the lack of progress in this book. the heroine is completely useless. she can't fight. all she does is get herself beat up injured, bleeding. and she makes the most stupidest decisions. example, staying with tristan and still wanting to marry him after he basically hands her to the wolves himself.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I felt about this book at the beginning and the way I feel now that I finished it is not even remotely close to one another. I loved it with every piece of my heart and I need the next book already!

This is the kind of book that I can definitely see conquering the heart of many and being the next surprise hit. The elements are there and the world building is unique and original and tells a beautiful but heartbreaking story.

I have two pet peeves if you will; one, I’m not a fan of books where I have to learn a 10 page glossary of a fantasy language just to understand basic conversations and world building. If I can't figure stuff out while reading and have to refer back to the provided glossary every other page, most of the time I’m out. Two, I hate love triangles with everything I have. It’s just something that I don’t find fun or cute. And Daughter of the Drowned Empire has both. And I didn’t mind either for a second.

It is an ambitious book. Sometimes I felt it had more on it’s plate than it could deal with and the pacing is a little unconventional but in the end, it all helped to shape the character arcs.
I fully appreciated that neither of the love interests are the brooding, dark man type.

I don’t really care about Tristan at this point, but Rhyan grew on me. I wanted so badly to not like him because it was clear which direction the story was going and I can’t deal with another man like that BUT he was the complete opposite of what I expected from him. He’s super sweet and funny, protective and the way he asks for permission for everything without making it feel pathetic is just… give me more of that. That man is perfect as he is and I can’t wait to see how he fails staying just friends with Lyr.

And then we have Lyr. This girl is crazy. Not in the unhinged kind of way but the way she deals with her responsibilities without taking a break and sacrificing so much of herself for others who don’t really appreciate her efforts. We all have seen this before and in a sense Lyr isn’t different from other lady MCs, except she doesn’t spend a moment whining about why she has to do all that and why no one appreciates her efforts. Her growth through the book is something I really enjoyed seeing. Yes, I’ve seen her plot twist from a mile away but I can’t say I’m mad, it’s just really well built up as the story is about Lyr evolving and becoming that person.

I think this book might just become one of my soft and fuzzy comfort books. Rhyan’s tenderness is catchy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Booktastically Amazing]

"But when she’s forced to train with Lord Rhyan Hart, the man she’s secretly loved since she was a girl—a feared warrior in exile himself, forbidden to her in every way—she’s in danger of losing far more than her family, life, and country."

This fully convinced me-

[Ashley Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

💙🧞‍♂️💙🧞‍♂️💙

I seriously don’t know why I haven’t heard of this book sooner and why it doesn’t have more hype, It has everything a New Adult Fantasy book needs!
While reading this book I couldn’t help but shake the feeling that this is a modern day twist on Aladdin. I mean there is even a blue dude with magic, who I am going to guess becomes the MC’s assistant in future books. It doesn’t copy the story of Aladdin but it just gave me that vibe, which I loved because Aladdin is one of my favorite Disney movies. 💙

[Neeks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giving this 2.5⭐️ in a sea of 5⭐️ reviews which makes me feel like a hater LOL. It had my interest for the most part, but I was more intent on completing this solely to see whether Lyr actually developed as a character.

Infuriating useless protagonist, relying on her privileges, expects exceptions to be made for her. Idk what the hell Rhyan sees in her💀

The plot consists of her running from problem to problem, creating excuses for her absences, lacklustre performance, disrespecting chain of command and feeling sorry for herself.

Why the hell was she even with Tristan? It was so forced. Zero chemistry, sincere connection or affection. She pushed him away only to crawl back in his bed later. Lyr reminds me of those girls who date racist dickhead boys and turns the other cheek whenever he says or does something problematic.

Tristan is a violent guy, and he has openly voiced his hatred and disgust for vorakh, which both her sisters are…how many more red flags can she ignore sheesh. Love triangle was so unnecessary, only making her appear spineless and lacking any conviction. She flirts with Rhyan, fantasises about him and ogles him all day but always returns to Tristan’s arms😐

World building is underdeveloped and messy, only part of it I enjoyed were the graceful Seraphim, they used as modes of transportation to fly around. There were too many characters and places crammed into this that it also made it a bit confusing. I was losing track of who was related to who and the titles used etc. didn’t realise there was a glossary at the end which would’ve made things easier

[Anne 'E' · Rating 5 out of 5]

So underrated!! the storytelling, characters and the romance (SLOW BURN) was top-notch i am not even kidding.

--->4.75

[Surajat Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

Wasn’t bad, wasn’t great. Solid 3 stars. All I can say is what in the world building hell was going on??? Don’t ask me what a “Ka” is…couldn’t tell you mate.
—————-

Skipping the TBR again because ✨spontaneity✨

[taylor ❤️‍🔥 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Because three years later, I still feel the taste of your lips on mine. Because I can’t forget you, the way your body felt against mine, the way your scent wrapped around me. Because I think about that kiss all the time. Because I dream about you at night. Because, if I kiss you now, if I get one more taste, you’ll consume me.”

3.75 🌟 rounded up to 4.

Wow, where do I even begin? This book totally took me by surprise. When I first started, I honestly thought I might DNF because there was so much world building I was getting a little lost. After about 20% things started to become more clear and things were starting to connect. The world, creatures and magic system were so unique and as much as I love fae, it was SO nice to read a fantasy novel without them being present.

Lyriana “Lyr” Batavia is the FMC, third in line to her country’s seat of power and I think I kind of love her? She is extremely flawed which I absolutely ate up. Lyr has fallen into a pattern of letting her love interests and family honestly walk all over her. For a majority of this book she doesn’t believe in, or see her own strength. Towards the end, we see the beginning of what I hope is her growth as a person.

The romance? Torture in the best way possible. There is a love triangle between Lyr, Tristan and Rhyan. Tristan, her first love interest can honestly go fuck himself and I get such fuckboy vibes from him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does some shady shit in the upcoming books. 👀 and Rhyan, a fling from her younger years that she clearly still holds a torch for. On top of that? Rhyan is forbidden to her for reasons you will find out in the book and he is so protective of her. 😩

I will 100% be reading her next book, I have to see the conclusion of the love triangle and overall plot.

[Linda G · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars. Despite a killer title and fascinating naming conventions, this story just couldn’t hold my attention well enough for me to care about the characters. I do think that there is a good plot twisting around at the core of this book. But the story is hobbled by heavy handed exposition throughout, a tension-less love triangle, and childish, strangely constructed dialogue. For example, a minor characters speech is meant to be “foreign” so articles like the/a are left out in abbreviated sentences… which are then followed by extremely complex paragraphs. The absolutely unconvincingly unreliable narrator uses high fantasy Hardin alongside modern swear words and the term “boyfriend”. It’s jarring. The story meanders through an intriguing magical system and then drops into academy/mean girl politics. I’ll probably give the second book a go to see if these kinks get worked out.

[Sara☽༊‧₊˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

―୨୧⋆ ˚ wow. rtc once I'm done processing how EPIC this book was.
---
✶⋆.˚ {pre-read review} : this book sounds delicious.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best books I’ve read recently! At first there is a lot of world building but once it clicks it’s fine! I love the tension building in this book and I can’t wait to read the next one, I fear this book will be living in my mind until I read the next one!

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Ok. This book was a breath of fresh air. It has everything we love in fantasy. Political intrigue, forbidden magic, historical lore, secrets, family bonds, forbidden romance (please!!!!!). There is a type of triangle going on. I do not like Tristan at all. The world building was done so well. I’m very interested to learn more about the Drowned Empire and what that means for Lyr and Rhyan. Book 2 cannot come soon enough.

[Melanie A.]

DNF @ 47%

The exact same plot as every other YA fantasy . . . girl faces huge odds to save the world by attending some kind of training school/program where she'll face bullies and institutional roadblocks. If Divergent, HP, or Fourth Wing are your thing, you'll love this.