[ARC Review] Wrath of the Never Queen by Storm Lomax

✨ PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:  A doomed prince with a monstrous curse. A sadistic king with a dark history. And the witch who will be his reckoning.

Gifted witch Shivani has so far avoided the annual Summoning. In her village, women are sent to the King each year and given six months to win the Prince’s heart and break his beastly curse. Anyone who can do so will be named Queen.

No one has succeeded.

Deep in debt and with the promise of a handsome reward, Shivani’s father volunteers her for the Summoning. With her magic stripped, Shivani is taken to the castle and thrust into the deadly challenge against her will.

As she navigates the prince's terrifying curse and the king’s sadistic whims, she discovers decades-old secrets that could mean her freedom. But leaving wouldn’t save the prince and it wouldn’t free the imprisoned servants. Or Shivani could stay – if she’s shrewd enough to decipher the curse before the executioner’s axe drops.  

✨ MY THOUGHTS: I felt immediately drawn into Shivani's story; everything from Shivani's village to her aunt's library to the castle itself was so easy to visualize, and Shivani's interactions with everyone were easy to envision. I loved the world Storm created as well as the characters who were developed throughout the story. Storm might have created a whole new world full of fantasy elements, but it all felt familiar enough that readers won't struggle finding their way in Shivani's world. 

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the premise of a curse that no one has been able to break, and the one witch determined to free everyone no matter the costs. Shivani had a fire in her, and I loved how she was able to stand up to those in power while simultaneously showing sympathy and empathy to those being oppressed by the king. Shivani was just a well-rounded and well-developed character, and I constantly found myself rooting for her and her happiness. 

Storm did a great job with all the supporting characters; everyone from the prince to Shivani's aunt to the castle workers were all fully fleshed out with backstories and unique personalities. I loved watching Theo evolve throughout the story, eventually leading to a slow burn romance between him and Shivani. 

With lots of characters to love and a plot that kept me intrigued from start to finish, Wrath of the Never Queen was such an entertaining read. If you love paranormal fantasy with a slow burn romance, you'll want to add this one to your TBR!

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Release date: 11/30/24

Format: eARC

eARC provided via: the author