The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole Summary

The Book of Azrael is a dark fantasy romance by Amber V. Nicole that follows Dianna, a woman who sacrifices her humanity to become an immortal monster to save her dying sister Gabby. She forms a fragile alliance with Liam, a god struggling with PTSD, to locate the legendary Book of Azrael and stop the villain Kaden. Their partnership evolves into forbidden love as they navigate blood pacts, ancient prophecies, and a world on the brink of apocalypse.

Amber V. Nicole is a dark fantasy author who incorporates horror elements into her writing. She works as a veterinary assistant when not writing and originally studied veterinary medicine before pursuing her passion for storytelling. Her background in paranormal romance, particularly authors like Jeaniene Frost, heavily influences her work. Nicole specializes in morally grey characters and complex world-building featuring gods, monsters, and ancient magic.

The Book of Azrael is perfect for readers who love morally grey female protagonists, enemies-to-lovers romance, and intricate dark fantasy world-building. Fans of paranormal romance with high-stakes emotional tension will appreciate the blend of forbidden love and apocalyptic stakes. If you enjoy books with powerful villains, complex character dynamics, and stories where love doesn't "fix" the protagonist's darker nature, this book delivers.

The Book of Azrael offers a refreshing take on dark fantasy romance with a genuinely morally grey female lead whose character remains consistent despite falling in love. The book features intricate world-building with gods and monsters, intense emotional stakes through the sister relationship, and an enemies-to-lovers romance that builds tension effectively. The devastating ending, where Dianna's transformation unleashes chaos after her sister's murder, sets up compelling stakes for the series.

Dianna is a truly morally grey female character whose darkness doesn't soften when she falls in love. Inspired by Katherine Pierce from The Vampire Diaries, she maintains her ruthless nature, manipulative tendencies, and willingness to set people on fire throughout the story. Unlike typical heroines, her healing journey and romantic relationship with Liam don't change her core personality—she remains dangerous, calculating, and willing to make brutal choices to protect those she loves.

The Book of Azrael ends with Kaden publicly murdering Gabby on live television, which shatters Dianna's last connection to humanity. This breaks the blood pact between Dianna and Liam, unleashing her full monstrous power as an Ig'Morruthen beast in a grief-fueled transformation. The ending fulfills Roccurrem's prophecy about the world's end—not through Liam's death, but through Dianna's ultimate loss. Liam faces the unleashed woman he loves while Kaden possesses the Book of Azrael, setting up catastrophic conflict.

Dianna and Liam begin as enemies when she infiltrates his organization and attempts to kill him with a forsaken blade. After capturing her, Liam reluctantly forms a blood pact with Dianna—she helps hunt Kaden and find the Book of Azrael in exchange for protecting her sister Gabby. Their alliance transforms into deep romantic tension as they discover mutual feelings, culminating in intimacy during their quest. Their relationship embodies forbidden love between a monster and a god consumed by guilt.

Gabby is Dianna's younger sister and the reason she sacrificed her humanity to become immortal. Their relationship creates tension when Dianna sends Gabby to a safe house for protection, though Gabby resents being hidden away. Gabby represents Dianna's last tie to her mortal life and humanity. Her brutal murder by Kaden on live television serves as the catalyst that breaks Dianna and Liam's blood pact and unleashes Dianna's full monstrous transformation, triggering the prophesied apocalypse.

The blood pact in The Book of Azrael is a binding magical contract between Dianna and Liam, sealed with scars on both their hands. The agreement stipulates that Dianna helps Liam kill Kaden and retrieve the Book of Azrael, while Liam protects Gabby, keeping her "free, unharmed, and alive". When Kaden murders Gabby, the pact dissolves—the scars vanish, signaling the deal's termination. This breaking of the pact unleashes catastrophic consequences, as Dianna's transformation is no longer restrained by the magical binding.

The Book of Azrael is the first installment in Amber V. Nicole's Gods and Monsters series, which explores a world where celestial beings and immortal creatures coexist with mortals. The series features gods like Liam (Samkiel) who possess immense power, and monsters like Dianna's Ig'Morruthen form—a terrifying beast unleashed through grief and rage. The mythology includes:

• The Hand (an organization serving celestials)
• Forsaken blades that can harm gods
• Ancient artifacts like the Book of Azrael that hold world-altering power

The Book of Azrael is the first book in the Gods and Monsters series by Amber V. Nicole, published in 2022. The series continues with The Throne of Broken Gods (2023), The Dawn of the Cursed Queen (2024), and The Wrath of the Fallen (October 2025). The devastating cliffhanger ending, where Dianna transforms into her monstrous form after Gabby's death, directly sets up the conflict for subsequent books as Liam must reach her while stopping Kaden from using the Book of Azrael.

Roccurrem, the last living fate, prophesies that there will be "a shattering crack, an echo not just of what is lost, but what cannot be healed" that signals how the world ends. Initially interpreted as predicting Liam's death, the prophecy's true meaning is revealed when Gabby dies—Dianna's profound, unhealable loss becomes the catalyst for apocalypse. The prophecy parallels Liam's past: his father's death ended Rashearim, and Dianna's ultimate loss will end the current world, marking a pattern of destruction through grief.