Empire of Flame and Thorns by Marion Blackwood

 Empire of Flame and Thorns

by Marion Blackwood

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spice Rating: 🌶🌶

Blurb:

A fae rebel. A ruthless dragon commander.
And a deadly trial that will turn their lives upside down.

Trapped in the Seelie Court by a forest of thorns, Selena Hale lives at the mercy of the dragon shifters. Her only chance to gain her freedom is by entering the Atonement Trials: a deadly competition that pits fae magic users against each other. Only three people can win, and Selena intends to be one of them.

There is only one problem. Draven Ryat, the ruthless commander of the dragon shifter army, is determined to make her lose.

He symbolizes everything that she hates, and if he finds out that she is also a member of the secret fae rebellion, he will not only mess with her chances to win, he will kill her. But the more time she spends with him, the more she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him.

And nothing is more dangerous in a lethal trial than a distracted heart.

Especially one that beats for the enemy…

My Review:

I went into Empire of Flame and Thorns by Marion Blackwood hoping for a fun fantasy romance… and I ended up flying through it. I genuinely had such a good time reading this.

From the start, the action does not let up. The Atonement Trials alone had me stressed in the best way. The stakes are brutal because there are basically no real rules, just whatever the dragon shifters decide in the moment. The fae aren’t just competing for pride or glory; they’re fighting for their freedom and their lives. That constant uncertainty made everything feel intense and unpredictable.

And that plot twist?? I truly did not see it coming. I only started to sense something was wrong in the final chapter, and by then it was already too late. My heart broke for Selena. I kept wishing she’d put the pieces together sooner.

Speaking of Selena, I loved her. Her people-pleasing tendencies felt so real. She struggles with wanting to be liked, wanting to belong, while also trying to stand up for herself and do what’s best for her own growth. That internal battle hit close to home for me. Watching her slowly start to realize her worth and make harder choices for herself was one of my favorite parts of the book.

And Draven… oh Draven. He might be a new favorite MMC for me. He’s ruthless, morally gray, and technically the enemy, but the tension? Incredible. The banter between him and Selena was easily one of the highlights of the book. Every time he cracked or almost softened, I was grinning. And yes, the hand-clench moments absolutely got me. The spice was well done too, perfectly placed without overpowering the plot.

If I had one wish, it would be for dual POV. I'd love to here Draven’s thoughts. I want to know what was going through his head during certain scenes. Getting more insight into the dragon shifters and their history would’ve also been amazing, but I suspect that’s going to unfold later in the series, especially since the fae are intentionally kept in the dark.

Overall, this book perfectly balances plot and spice. High-stakes trials, a unique magic system, dragon shifters, a morally gray commander, and a heroine you can’t help but root for it pulled me in from page one and did not let go. Just be warned there is a cliffhanger, and I immediately needed the next book. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. I’ll definitely be continuing this series as soon as I get my hands on the rest.