Review - The Sin of Saints by Lauren M. Leasure

Title: The Sin of Saints

Author: Lauren M. Leasure

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Benevolence and Blood (book #1)

Pages: 382

Synopsis:

Growing up in Eserene's slums, Petra's life is marred by unimaginable tragedy. Things finally begin to look up when she meets Calomyr, member of the Royal Guard and keeper of just as much heartache as Petra.

Once again, though, her life is upended when her mother remarries a Lord, forcing Petra to undergo a brutal initiation ceremony in order to ascend to the Royal Court.

As Petra prepares for initiation, news of a drug-fueled fanatical rebel regime reaches the high walls of Eserene. No one seems to panic, so Petra doesn't either.

Until the city is smoldering before her.

Outside the city walls, Petra must untangle a smoke-shrouded web woven long before she was born. She finds her entire life has been orchestrated for one purpose, a purpose kept hidden from her until she unveils the secret that thrums through her veins. As everything she thought she knew unravels, Petra is forced to confront ghosts she didn't know she had - and the monsters and demons that now join them...

Review & thoughts:

Wow, I can’t believe it is the author’s debut book! The Sin of Saints by Lauren M. Leasure is the first book in a new dark fantasy romance series. I actually found this book on Instagram. It sounded interesting so I decided to give it a chance and OMG it did not disappoint. The world building is very unique, I don’t think I have ever read anything like that. 

We follow the story of Petra through two timelines: what happens now and what happened four years ago. I don’t usually enjoy such books because often I’m more interested in the present, but it is really well done here, both timelines have strong stories and everything is connected, I couldn’t stop reading, wanting to know what happens next. 

Petra, our main character, has been through a lot in her life, I don’t want to spoil anything but her story is heartbreaking and I wish she would get more happy moments later in the series. 

There is also a slow burn romance that I really liked and I enjoyed every scene they were in together, I hope we get to see more of our main couple in the next books. 

I really enjoyed this book, it is very well-written and unique, one of the best debuts I have read and now one of my favorite fantasy romance books. And after that plot twists at the very end I really can’t wait to read the sequel! 

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐