School Library Journal
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Gr 6 Up—Young Cassia and Zeru sneak away from their respective homes into the forest, where they forge a friendship despite their conflicting backgrounds. When they seal their friendship with gifts, the trinket Zeru stole from his mother's jewelry box turns out to be a powerful magic ring from the Ancients tied to a prophecy—and he's given it to the enemy. Tensions boil over between the Sylvan of the Thirstwood and the Dracu of the underground Cryptlands when their parents arrive on the scene and declare war. Ten years later Cassia can barely activate the ring's incredible power, disappointing her father and her people. An impulsive vow as a child means she can never take the ring off. When Zeru kidnaps her to reclaim the ring and his family's honor, they discover she is bonded to it by more than just her word and form a tentative alliance to find answers, which turns into something more. Their friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope will appeal to many young teens, but more experienced readers will find themselves frustrated by the way their character arcs fail to fit together. Blake has delivered a fun and fast read that sets up interesting worldbuilding to be explored in the rest of the trilogy. Themes of fate, friendship, and power add layers to thin characterizations while the adventure pushes the story forward. Characters are fantasy races. VERDICT A bread-and-butter fantasy romance to consider for secondary purchase.—Emmy Neal

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Former friends turned enemies must save their worlds. Cassia, daughter of the Sylvan king, longs for recognition from her stern father, Silvanus, and misses her long-gone, gentle dryad mother. She hates being the Deathringer: The title means she must try to destroy the underground-dwelling Azpians using the ring childhood friend Zeru, a horned Dracu from the Azpian realm, found among his mother’s possessions and gifted her, not realizing its import. After Zeru kidnaps Cassia, hoping to retrieve the ring, which is stuck firmly to her finger, they travel to Welkincaster, the Ancients’ sanctuary, in search of answers. Sparks simmer, and they each discover unexpected new powers. The romance is appealing, even if Zeru feels too perfect, and the lovers’ joint desire to achieve peace and see off a late-emerging enemy provides impetus to kick the story up a notch after a leisurely opening. Cassia, who struggles to be true to herself when everyone (except Zeru) wants her to be someone else, is a sympathetic hero, but for all the magical trappings, unbreakable oaths, and bloodthirsty trees, most of the story’s emotional beats are relatively mundane. Uneven pacing and several convenient information drops detract somewhat from this otherwise enjoyable and wholesome series opener. Sylvans are of “many different builds, heights, skin, and hair colors”; Cassia has “dark golden hair,” and dark-haired, green-eyed Zeru has “lightly bronzed skin.” A sweetly romantic magical diversion. (map)(Fantasy romance. 14-18) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Cassia, a Sylvan princess of the forest, carries a special power: a ring she was gifted as a child, the Solis Gemma, can kill the Sylvans’ greatest enemies, the Azpians. Unfortunately, all Cassia has been able to do with the ring is provide distraction, blinding and disorienting enemies. Her father, king of the Sylvans, demands she join him in the first springtime battle, as the Azpians crawl out of the ground and attack. Cassia manages a searing blow with the ring but is blinded in the aftermath and kidnapped by Zeru—the person who accidentally gave her the ring as a child. When a seer who works for the Azpians sends them both on a quest to discover the secrets of the ring, neither is excited. They don’t want to be anywhere near each other but must journey together if they are to learn about the Solis Gemma and take their knowledge back to their respective peoples. Blake, known best for the Frostblood Saga, crafts another enchanting medieval world. Pick up for those seeking adventure and enemies-to-lovers romance.

Publishers Weekly
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In her youth Cassia, a Sylvan, is given a ring by her Dracu friend Zeru. When it is revealed to be the Solis Gemma, a powerful magical artifact, their relationship dissolves, becoming a point of contention amid the decades-long feud between the Sylvans and the Dracu. Despite 10 years of training, Cassia can still barely wield the ring’s powers against the underground-dwelling Dracu, much to the consternation of her father, the Sylvan king. To steal back the ring, Zeru captures Cassia, only to discover that she and the ring are bonded. Following a seer’s advice, Zeru persuades Cassia to go to Welkincaster, the origin of the ring’s creators. As they search for answers, sparks fly between the childhood friends turned enemies, even as war looms on the horizon. The central romance often feels unbalanced due to Cassia’s earnest drive to better understand herself and Zeru’s unwillingness to see beyond his own goals. Nevertheless, vivid worldbuilding conjures an expansive setting against which this romantasy series launch by Blake (the Frostblood Saga) unfolds, resulting in a majestic tale that weaves together questions of destiny, love, and self-discovery. Ages 14–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary. (Feb.)