Find Romantasy Books
The Thorns We Inherit (Tales of Nyxarra Book 1)
Lindsey A. Hart
4.3
Shadow Trials: An Epic Slowburn Romantasy (Heartless Gods Book 1)
by Evelyn Hart
Published Apr 14, 2026
About this book
Fiona has spent her life training to dismantle the Godforged, the divine-born monsters who treat humanity as disposable pawns in an eternal celestial war. Armed with stolen magic and a fierce resolve, she infiltrates the God of Darkness’s lethal trials, aiming to seize control of his army and secure a future for her people. However, the competition is a slaughterhouse of the realm’s most ruthless warriors, and discovery of her illicit powers would mean an immediate death sentence.
Her plan is complicated by Azric Cyrus, the God of Death’s champion and a legendary dragon rider. As the most dangerous and enigmatic of the Godforged, Azric is a creature of shadow and bone whose influence rivals the gods themselves. When he fixates on Fiona, their dynamic shifts from predator and prey to an uneasy, high-stakes alliance.
Bound by their respective secrets and the mounting cruelty of the trials, they find themselves drawn together by a magnetic, slow-burning tension. In a world where destiny is rigged by divine malice, Fiona and Azric must navigate a treacherous path of betrayal and burgeoning desire, knowing that their survival—and the fate of humanity—depends on an impossible trust.
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What readers are saying
Mary Jane JarmanA World Worth Dissecting!
"I was so grateful to receive an ARC of Shadow Trials by the author- my first ever advanced reader copy! This story centers on Fiona Thorne, a fearless and determined young woman who has been trained in the ways of The Order her whole life. Despite being very skilled and capable she is barred from joining The Order for the simple fact that she is a woman. The one standing in her way is her protective life long teacher, her father. Frustrated, she volunteers to enter a series of trials to compete to be the God of Death’s “champion.” The God-forged are gods that walk among humans waging war among each other, often using humans as their champions to lead their respective armies. The Order uses infusions and magical markings on their skin to protect the humans from the god-forged’s never ending conflicts with each other. This magic system is the most fascinating thing to me in this book. I have never read about a magic system like this in any other book. The skin markings remind me a lot of the ruin markings in Throne of Glass, but it’s the infusion potions that caught my attention immediately. While an infusion will give you a certain advantage, it comes with a cost. The infusion of the cat for example gives you the ability to be quick and nimble, even be able to survive falls from a decent distance, but your mind will be scattered like, when your adderall has just worn off and you can’t keep your mind fixed on the task at hand. I found that so unique, so Fiona has to be very calculated in how and when she uses these infusions. I was so captivated by this magic system I wanted to start taking notes and really deep diving into all the different infusions and combinations you could make of them. I feel like you could really nerd out studying it all. It made my little research nerd heart happy. The slow burn romance in this book is delicious, I am a sucker for a really intense build up, but the world building and magic system is what I believe really sets this book apart from other Romantacies out there. I can’t wait for more books in this series! I will be here waiting with my notebook- this is a world worth dissecting. ["
April 9, 2026 Verified Purchase
Kayleigh KonieczkiRomantasy Must Read!
"**I received this book as an ARC for free. Thank you to Evelyn Hart for the opportunity to read and review this book 📖. If you are a fan of Greek Mythology, in the context of the Gods meddling with human affairs, then you will LOVE this book. In Nyth, the Gods have claimed parts of the land for themselves; but instead of ruling it themselves, they name a Champion to be their mouth, head and sword. Nyth has been at war for 80 years, and all the while the Gods hide away in their own Realms. This book took away my breath. I adore Fiona and her snarkiness. She's clever, and caring. But there is tragedy in her story. There's characters I want to throttle, for the pain they've inflicted or just for their personalities. The dragons in Nyth have been there thousands of years. The Gods have been there for less than that. For once, the Gods are not older. I was on the edge of my seat through most of this book. I kept reading it in short bursts because I wanted it to last. Unfortunately, it ended; on a cliffhanger of course! Fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood & Ash, and the Artefacts of Ouranos series need to pick this up and read it! ["
April 14, 2026 Verified Purchase
Jennifer LandiceA MUST read for romantasy lovers!!
"I received an arc review of this book from netgalley.com and man am I glad I did!! I am so surprised I haven't heard about this book anywhere, as it is an absolutely riviting read! Fiona has trained her whole life to become a priest and fight the gods, but when her father denies her that opportunity because she is a girl, she decides to enter into the trials to become a champion of the gods so she can use that power to help bring peace to her war ravaged world. This book has amazing trials, a morally gray mmc, a slow burn romance, dragons, monsters, and an outstanding plot! I cant stop raving about this book and I will be impatiently waiting for book two! Also, I totally bought a physical copy for a shelf trophy because I loved it so much. ["
April 16, 2026 Verified Purchase
ElenaLoved it
"I didn’t quite realize how invested I was in Shadow Trials until I physically could not put it down. Evelyn Hart has crafted a world so vivid that I could see every shadow and feel every heartbeat as I read. What I Loved: The FMC (Fiona): Fiona is easily one of my favorite leads. You don't just read about her; you feel everything alongside her—her frustration, her limits, and that nagging sense that she is capable of so much more than the world allows. Her growth felt incredibly earned, and her resilience never felt forced or "for the plot." She is a powerhouse. The Atmosphere: The level of detail in this book is the best. The author takes the time to describe the setting and the magic in a way that makes it feel cinematic. I could literally picture every scene as it unfolded. The Romance: That slow-burn? It was absolutely the icing on the cake. The tension was perfect and kept me turning the pages late into the night. I am already vibrating with excitement for Book 2. If you love a character-driven story with immersive world-building and a romance that keeps you on your toes, you need to add this to your TBR immediately! ["
April 22, 2026 Verified Purchase