The Book of Azrael: Gods and Monsters, Book 1
Amber V. Nicole
by Tricia Levenseller
In the matriarchal kingdom of Amarra, power is a birthright, and husbands are a commodity to be seized. Princess Olerra, a fierce warrior general, stands on the precipice of the throne, but her claim remains fragile. To solidify her rule against a treacherous rival, she must secure a consort who is as malleable as he is prestigious.
She sets her sights on the second-born prince of her nation’s greatest enemy, a man rumored to be docile and sweet. Her target, however, is not who he seems. Sanos, the heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, is a man forged in conflict and fueled by a deep-seated disdain for Amarra’s female-led society.
When a reckless decision leads to his capture, he finds himself trapped in the heart of the enemy palace under the thumb of a woman who demands his total submission. As Olerra attempts to break his spirit and mold him into the perfect consort, Sanos masks his true identity while plotting his escape. Amidst the shifting political tides and the volatile tension of their forced proximity, the lines between captor and prisoner blur, igniting a dangerous, high-stakes attraction that threatens to destroy them both.
Landa McDThis is smart romantasy with teeth, and I devoured every page.
"Tricia Levenseller’s first foray into adult romantasy is an absolute triumph. She brings her signature witty, sharp, and descriptive writing style with her, but layers it with deeper themes, darker edges, and wonderfully multidimensional characters. This book feels bold, fearless, and refreshingly different. The world building is where this story truly flexes its power. We are dropped into a society where women rule everything. The army, the government, the strength. Men raise the children, tend the home, and live in the shadows of female authority. Alongside it, Levenseller introduces a more “traditional” kingdom where men hold all the power. The contrast is fascinating. This is not just a role reversal for shock value. It is a thoughtful exploration of power, control, and what happens when any one group holds all of it. Would women truly rule differently, or would history simply repeat itself with new faces? And what would it actually take to build a world where everyone is equal? The characters are complex, flawed, and compelling, and the tension between cultures, expectations, and personal desire drives the story forward with a sharp, steady pull. Add in slow-burning romance, political intrigue, and Levenseller’s trademark banter, and you get a book that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. This is smart romantasy with teeth, and I devoured every page. If this is what Tricia Levenseller is bringing to adult fantasy, I am very much seated for whatever comes next. ["
January 7, 2026 Verified Purchase
Orchid87A Solid Read (8.5/10)
"I really enjoyed this book!! I loved how it subverted the typical gendered tropes of romantasy. I do think it was smart that the author made both the FMC and MMC both more moderate in their views; which made them more palatable and universal for the average reader. Treating men they way patriarchy has historically treated women as depicted in this book does give a great societal lens into how the very same treatment of women has become so normalized we don't even see the inherent wrong of it anymore. Now, the spice is kinkier than you'd normally get in your average romantasy novel. I absolutely loved it! It was nice to have a MMC drop the mask (reluctantly of course), surrender to new pleasures; while also realizing he liked it. If you're not open-minded sexually, then this book may not be for you. My only criticism is that I wish it was a little longer. I actually wished the novel explored the political machinations of both kingdoms a bit more and went into the magical elements/origins of the Goddess's gift in more depth. I overall wanted a bit more complexity, but this book leans more heavily on the romance aspect than the fantasy or political angle. It had a typical HEA at the end which is OK, but part of me wishes for a sequel. The FMC is really good and I rooted for her (and her love interest) the entire story. If you're not vanilla or attached to romantasy that only takes a patriarchal angle, you'll enjoy this book! ["
November 17, 2025 Verified Purchase
MkhaleConflicted About This One
"I’m honestly torn on What Fury Brings. At times I didn’t want to keep reading, and at the same time, I didn’t want to give up on it either. There’s something in this story that kept pulling me back, even when parts of it made me question why I even picked it up. This book flips the script on traditional fantasy tropes in a way that’s both bold and challenging: women hold all the power in the kingdom of Amarra, and men are the lesser gender. That reversed dynamic is the core of the story, and it forces the reader to wrestle with themes of power, oppression, and how systemic injustice shapes people, no matter who holds the authority. What stood out most to me was Sanos’s character arc. He starts out deeply shaped by his upbringing and the way he was taught to view gender and strength, but over time he grows, he reflects, learns, and becomes genuinely more enlightened about himself and the world around him. His journey felt real and earned, and I appreciated seeing that evolution. Olerra, on the other hand, was complicated for me. She’s fierce and competent, but I never felt like she experienced the same kind of internal shift that Sanos did. In a story that seems to want to question power and challenge norms, her perspective didn’t evolve in the ways I expected, or maybe in the ways I wanted it to. That left me feeling more conflicted than satisfied. The gender reversal concept is interesting and uncomfortable in all the best and worst ways, and I know that’s intentional. But there were moments where it felt like the worldbuilding served the message more than the characters, and that made the reading experience uneven for me. ["
January 27, 2026 Verified Purchase
The Tattered Page𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐹𝓊𝓇𝓎 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ, ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴇxʏ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄs.
"🎧𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌🎧 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs 𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🌶🌶 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 𝒪𝓃𝑒-𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌: ᴘʀᴏᴠᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌: ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴄᴍɪʟʟᴀɴ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ! 𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐹𝓊𝓇𝓎 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ᴏᴘᴇɴs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ “ғʟɪᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴛʀɪᴀʀᴄʜʏ” ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇsɪsᴛ: ᴀ ᴍᴀᴛʀɪᴀʀᴄʜᴀʟ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴏᴍᴇɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴇɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ, ɴᴏʙʟᴇᴍᴇɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴋɪᴅɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ “ʜᴜsʙᴀɴᴅs,” ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴜᴘ ғᴏʀ ɢʀᴀʙs. ᴏʟᴇʀʀᴀ, ᴀ ғɪᴇʀᴄᴇ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀᴍʙɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʀᴇᴘᴜᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ sʜᴇ’ʟʟ ᴋɪᴅɴᴀᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛ ʜᴜsʙᴀɴᴅ — ᴏɴʟʏ sʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅs ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴀɴᴏs, ᴀ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ ᴡʜᴏ’s ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟɪᴋᴇ sʜᴇ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ. ᴏʟᴇʀʀᴀ ɪs ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇʟʟɪɴɢ: ʀᴜᴛʜʟᴇss, ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ, ᴄᴀᴘᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏғ ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟɪᴛʏ ʏᴇᴛ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴄᴀʀʀʏɪɴɢ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴏғ ᴠᴜʟɴᴇʀᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ʜɪɢʜ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴍᴏᴠᴇs ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ғᴀsᴛ ғᴏʀ ɪᴛs sᴄᴏᴘᴇ. ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ sᴀɴᴏs ɪs ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍʙɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʀᴀᴡ ᴄʜᴀʀɪsᴍᴀ, ᴄᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀʟʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴇɴᴅᴇʀɴᴇss ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ʜɪᴍ ʙᴏᴛʜ ɪɴᴛɪᴍɪᴅᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ɪʀʀᴇsɪsᴛɪʙʟᴇ—ᴀ ᴄʟᴀssɪᴄ ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs-ᴛᴏ-ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs/ᴍᴀᴛᴇ-ᴡᴏʀᴛʜʏ ᴍᴀʟᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅ. ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ sᴀɴᴏs ɪs ᴀ ғɪᴇʀᴄᴇ ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ, ʜᴇ ɪs ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴀ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ ᴄɪɴɴᴀᴍᴏɴ ʀᴏʟʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴏʟᴇʀʀᴀ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʜɪᴍ ʙʟᴜsʜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ✨sᴘɪᴄʏ & ᴛᴇɴᴅᴇʀ✨ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɴᴇss. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs: ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ʜᴇᴀᴛ, ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴏғ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ғʀɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴏʟᴇʀʀᴀ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀɴᴏs ɪs ᴅᴇʟᴇᴄᴛᴀʙʟᴇ — ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ’s ɢʀᴏᴡᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴇsᴄᴀʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏʟᴇʀʀᴀ ɪs ᴀ ᴄᴏɴsᴇɴᴛ ǫᴜᴇᴇɴ (✨sᴇxᴜᴀʟʟʏ✨ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏ ʜᴇʜᴇ). ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ɪɴᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ ɪs ᴘʀᴏᴠᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴇᴠᴇɴsᴇʟʟᴇʀ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀʟʏ ʟᴇᴀɴs ɪɴᴛᴏ ʀᴜᴛʜʟᴇss, ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ-ғᴜᴇʟᴇᴅ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ʜɪɢʜʟɪɢʜᴛs ᴛʜᴇ sᴏғᴛ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴄs. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ʜᴀs sᴘᴀʀᴋ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛᴀʟ ʀᴜʟᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ’ᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ғᴇᴇʟ ғᴜʟʟʏ ғʟᴇsʜᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ; sᴏᴍᴇ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ’ʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴏ sʜᴏᴄᴋ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ʀᴜʟᴇs/sᴛᴀᴛᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs, ғᴇᴡᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ sʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ʀᴜʟᴇs (ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ғᴏʀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅᴀʀʏ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs). 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀɪᴅᴇɴ sɴᴏᴡ & ᴄᴀɪᴛʟɪɴ ᴅᴀᴠɪᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ғᴏʀ 𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐹𝓊𝓇𝓎 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ɪs ᴘʜᴇɴᴏᴍᴇɴᴀʟ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴠ ᴄᴀsᴛ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴏʟᴇʀʀᴀ’s ʀᴜᴛʜʟᴇss ᴇᴅɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀɴᴏs’ ғɪʀᴇ ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛʟʏ, ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sʜᴀʀᴘ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴏғᴛᴇʀ, ᴠᴜʟɴᴇʀᴀʙʟᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴛʀɪᴀʀᴄʜᴀʟ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇɪɢʜᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ sʜɪғᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴄʀɪsᴘ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇs ᴅɪsᴛɪɴᴄᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴇʟᴛ ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ. ɪ ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀs ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋᴇʀ, ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟ sᴄᴇɴᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ ʟᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ɪɴᴛᴇɴsɪᴛʏ. ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴀᴛᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ — ᴅʀᴀᴡɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴛ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴᴇʀ, ᴛʜɪs ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ ɪs ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ɪᴛ— ɪᴍᴍᴇʀsɪᴠᴇ, ғɪᴇʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ. 𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈: ✨ᴍᴀᴛʀɪᴀʀᴄʜᴀʟ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ + ɢᴇɴᴅᴇʀ ʀᴏʟᴇ ʀᴇᴠᴇʀsᴀʟ ✨ᴋɪᴅɴᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜᴜsʙᴀɴᴅ + ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇᴅ ✨ᴡᴀʀʀɪᴏʀ ғᴍᴄ x ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴍᴍᴄ ✨ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴘʟᴀʏ ✨ᴅᴀʀᴋ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ✨ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs-ᴛᴏ-ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs ✨ᴏᴘᴇɴ-ᴅᴏᴏʀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ✨ᴍᴏʀᴀʟ ᴀᴍʙɪɢᴜɪᴛʏ, ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ ᴀʀᴄ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇ ✨sᴛʀᴏɴɢ sᴏᴄɪᴀʟ/ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs 𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉: 𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐹𝓊𝓇𝓎 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ, ʙʀᴜᴛᴀʟ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴇxʏ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄs. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴍᴏʀᴀʟʟʏ ᴍᴇssʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢᴇᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ʜᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ, 𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐹𝓊𝓇𝓎 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ᴡɪʟʟ ʜɪᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ɪɴ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ᴀ ғᴇᴡ ᴇxʜɪʟᴀʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴡᴀʏs. ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ! 𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎 ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ ["
October 14, 2025 Verified Purchase
Amber V. Nicole
Jasmine Mas
Amber V. Nicole
Jacqueline White
Jeaniene Frost
J.T. Geissinger