A Blog of Books and Tea

(Rattle the Stars PR ARC Review)

Tropes:

• Mythology, Gods & Monsters
• Slow Burn
• Yearning
• Forced Proximity
• Childhood frenemy to lovers
• Morally Grey FMC & MMC
• Neo Noir Vibes
• Found Family
• He Falls First 
• Touch Her & ☠️

Stars – 🫖🫖🫖🫖🫖

Spice Level – 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis –

Death was never the end… it was the design.

Violet Shaw remembers being killed.

Attending the prestigious Shademore University on an equestrian archery scholarship, Violet expects and welcomes challenges—but not violent memories of another life where she was abducted, enslaved, and murdered. When the visions sharpen into certainty, Violet must find the man who killed her and end him before he abducts another innocent.There’s only one complication—her overly protective friend, Rowan Monroe.

Once condemned to death for stealing a forbidden tome from the Forgotten Wasteland’s Library, Rowan should have been erased from existence. Instead, the Fates had other plans. Reborn into the modern world, Rowan remembers every sin of his past… and the monster who claimed him. Now bound to Violet as her unwilling guardian, he’s dragged back into a world he swore to abandon.

When a student’s murder throws Shademore University into lockdown, Rowan and Violet are forced into close quarters while searching for Violet’s killer. Their investigation uncovers magic, broken myths, ruthless monsters, forsaken gods, and secret societies as they battle their inner demons from previous lives and fall into a forbidden love.

A love, they soon realize, that could destroy them both.

She is his ruin.
He is her salvation.
Together, they bring a future the gods fear.

Thoughts –

I received Fated Rebirth as an ARC from Rattle the Stars PR and was initially dubious, as I typically prefer fantasy novels filled with elaborate worlds. However, I loved this book; it turned my skepticism into admiration. The storyline captivated me with its perfect mix of fantasy and dark academia, creating an enchanting and intense atmosphere. The well-developed characters drew me into their complex lives, and the narrative flowed seamlessly, keeping me engaged until the last page. The author skillfully blended reality with fantastical themes, inviting the contemplation of the blurred lines between our world and those we dream about.

The atmosphere of the story is wonderfully gritty and dark, infused with an underlying sense of danger that draws readers deeper into its narrative. There is so much emotional tension that keeps you turning the page to find out what happens next. I feel that the back and forth between Violet and Rowan was the perfect level of bratty banter that made me giggle so much, serving as a lighthearted counterbalance to the heavier themes present in the story. Their exchanges not only provide comic relief but also reveal layers of their personalities, highlighting the complexities of their relationship. You can tell almost instantly that Rowan is fixated on Violet by the way he always has to have a retort to everything she spits at him, like he just wants to keep her near him just that little bit longer, hinting at a deeper connection that is yet to fully bloom.

I absolutely loved the idea that Violet is telling the story within the actual story. This narrative technique not only draws the reader in but also adds a more personal layer to the events, which intricately weaves her emotions and thoughts into the fabric of the tale. It’s as if Violet is inviting you into her world, allowing you to connect with her on a deeper level, revealing the heart of her journey and the truths she has battled along the way. Her path to vengeance in a world filled with the supernatural raised the stakes higher, and I was 100% her for it!

The ending had me utterly bawling, and the cliffhanger was absolutely criminal (but also excellent)! It was the kind of ending that tugs at your heartstrings, making you gasp and almost as if your heart could split in two. I cannot wait for book 2! Let’s hope it arrives quickly, as the anticipation is almost unbearable!

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone as it was so wonderfully written.

Please ensure that you have checked the trigger warnings as this book gets dark pretty quickly, and the dark themes continue throughout.