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ergaich's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
amazing world building. enough detail to create a vivid image, but not too much that it drowns out the plot. this book was also written in a way that didn’t feel juvenile, which i can appreciate. lastly, the plot was so driving and kept my attention
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Death
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
dlrosebyh's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
i picked this book up because i enjoyed sorcery of thorns. as said in the premise, fire with fire is perfect for people who loved sorcery of thorns.
though i did enjoy the sisters’ adventure, i found eden’s character quite intolerable. the bad guys were stereotypical, and it felt like everything was rushed. i also felt like that the pov’s switch too frequently which makes it for me to understand the story better. i did love the world building, though— with the dragons and fantasy elements.
overall, it was an alright read. i wouldn’t probably continue to the next book in the series.
though i did enjoy the sisters’ adventure, i found eden’s character quite intolerable. the bad guys were stereotypical, and it felt like everything was rushed. i also felt like that the pov’s switch too frequently which makes it for me to understand the story better. i did love the world building, though— with the dragons and fantasy elements.
overall, it was an alright read. i wouldn’t probably continue to the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Blood, and Animal death
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Ableism
Minor: Biphobia, Sexism, and Bullying
booktribe's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Mental illness
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Medical content, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, and Gun violence
Minor: Toxic friendship and Sexism
lennie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC.
"I made a mistake, trusting you, but having anxiety doesn't make me a coward. It doesn't make me weak."
This book is a standalone urban fantasy featuring two sisters who have been secretly raised as Dragon Slayers their whole lives, whilst also trying to live as normal teenagers. The two often feel in competition with each other and have a bit of a strained relationship because of it.
One day Dani is attacked by a Dragon, who then becomes her bond mate, and everything the sisters thought they knew about dragons, slayers, sorcerers and family is put to the test.
The book explores identity in a lot of different forms. The sisters are mixed latinx but feel a bit separated from the latinx side of the family, they can't be fully open with their friends because of being slayers, Dani is bisexual & Eden suffers with severe anxiety.
Dani was arguably more likeable but I feel like Eden was probably more relatable (for me anyway!)
She was a flawed character, never felt good enough, didn't always make the right choices and had a lot of things to deal with.
I fell that this book deals with anxiety very well & shows the prejudice that can come with it. Eden's anxiety was a big part of her story but she comes to realise that it doesn't need to stop her from doing the things she wants doesn't make her weaker & it doesn't have to push people away.
There's some romance, lots of character development, interesting world building and lots of action.
The book was a good standalone but I do feel like there could've been a bit more to it and some parts felt a bit rushed.
CW: Biphobia, anxiety, panic attacks, death, violence, blood
"I made a mistake, trusting you, but having anxiety doesn't make me a coward. It doesn't make me weak."
This book is a standalone urban fantasy featuring two sisters who have been secretly raised as Dragon Slayers their whole lives, whilst also trying to live as normal teenagers. The two often feel in competition with each other and have a bit of a strained relationship because of it.
One day Dani is attacked by a Dragon, who then becomes her bond mate, and everything the sisters thought they knew about dragons, slayers, sorcerers and family is put to the test.
The book explores identity in a lot of different forms. The sisters are mixed latinx but feel a bit separated from the latinx side of the family, they can't be fully open with their friends because of being slayers, Dani is bisexual & Eden suffers with severe anxiety.
Dani was arguably more likeable but I feel like Eden was probably more relatable (for me anyway!)
She was a flawed character, never felt good enough, didn't always make the right choices and had a lot of things to deal with.
I fell that this book deals with anxiety very well & shows the prejudice that can come with it. Eden's anxiety was a big part of her story but she comes to realise that it doesn't need to stop her from doing the things she wants doesn't make her weaker & it doesn't have to push people away.
There's some romance, lots of character development, interesting world building and lots of action.
The book was a good standalone but I do feel like there could've been a bit more to it and some parts felt a bit rushed.
CW: Biphobia, anxiety, panic attacks, death, violence, blood
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Biphobia and Mental illness
corvicore's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, Torture, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Minor: Biphobia
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5 RTC
Rep: Half-Mexican, half-white bisexual female MC, half-Mexican half-white female MC with anxiety and panic attacks, Black male love interest, white Scottish love interest, Latine male side character, white questioning female side character, Mexican-American female side characters.
CWs: Alcohol consumption (underage and legal), animal cruelty, animal death (both towards dragons), blood, death, fire/fire injury, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, mental illness (anxiety), panic attacks, torture, violence. Moderate: grief.
Rep: Half-Mexican, half-white bisexual female MC, half-Mexican half-white female MC with anxiety and panic attacks, Black male love interest, white Scottish love interest, Latine male side character, white questioning female side character, Mexican-American female side characters.
CWs: Alcohol consumption (underage and legal), animal cruelty, animal death (both towards dragons), blood, death, fire/fire injury, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, mental illness (anxiety), panic attacks, torture, violence. Moderate: grief.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Grief
emily_mh's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book was by NO MEANS bad, but unfortunately I found myself a little disappointed by it. One thing I loved about it was the dragons and how they played such a central role in plot, but also how they were characters in and of themselves. The magic system that went along with this was interesting, especially the concept of soul bonds. Another thing this book had going for it was Dani and Eden. Their character development was really strong, they provided great POVs to follow, and I also loved the sister dynamic between them. Finally, the pop culture references in this book were actually UP TO DATE!! It leant realism to the teenage perspective and was generally really refreshing.
However, this is where my cons start to come in. The first one being the romance.The first half of the book is spent setting up a logical, chemistry-filled second-chance romance with Sadie, but then this is ditched for one with Kieran. Dani and Kieran had nooooo chemistry, and he isn't even in the book until halfway through. It was just so jarring, especially when you have the added factor of viewing Sadie and Tomás as just friends for the first half, and now have to wrap your head around them being into each other. ALSO, Kieran is 200+ years old. It's annoying to me that we still have adult/minor relationships in YA in 2021 masked by the defense that "they look like a teenager."
Another thing I didn't like was the execution of the plot. The pacing was really strange, and I feel likethe original issue of hatching the eggs fell to the wayside in favour of the sorcerer Eden plotline. But then THAT plotline was conveniently resolved because Eden ended up being sorcerer AND human. Therefore half the book felt kind of redundant.
Finally, I thought the side characters were underused. Frankie, Tomás and Sadie were all so interesting and could have added some real colour to Dani's activities. Overall, these significant cons meant that although it was a pretty enjoyable book, I couldn't give it more than 3.75 stars.
However, this is where my cons start to come in. The first one being the romance.
Another thing I didn't like was the execution of the plot. The pacing was really strange, and I feel like
Finally, I thought the side characters were underused. Frankie, Tomás and Sadie were all so interesting and could have added some real colour to Dani's activities. Overall, these significant cons meant that although it was a pretty enjoyable book, I couldn't give it more than 3.75 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol, Biphobia, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, and War
betweentheshelves's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for an advanced copy of this to review! I loved Beneath the Citadel also by Soria, so I was excited to pick this up. Plus, dragons! There aren’t that many YA books with dragons nowadays, and I love reading about them.
To start, the world building in this was fantastic. The way that Soria weaves in the little details of this world of dragons and sorcerers is so effortless. As is the way we’re introduced to Dani and Eden. They each have their distinct personalities, and it comes out in little details throughout the book.
Dani was definitely my favorite of the two sisters, especially the way she forms a relationship with Nox. She’s also bisexual and proud of that; it’s just there and doesn’t really have much bearing on the story itself. Also I’m partial to Nox because that’s the name of my cat--but fits the dragon in the story so well. I would read a whole book about Nox, to be honest.
On the other hand, Eden’s sections were a little difficult to read for me. There was just something about her voice that didn’t read as smoothly as Dani’s did. Her point of view and her character arc is important, as she works through her problems with anxiety, it just wasn’t my favorite.
All in all, this felt like a refreshing fantasy in the YA realm. If you want to read a book about dragons this summer, definitely check this one out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Death
Moderate: Confinement and Torture
outsidestar's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book reminded me so much of Dragonheart it hurt.
Please tell me you've seen Dragonheart - aka the 90's movie featuring Dennis Quad (and Lupin from Harry Potter) and one of my favorite childhood movies.
Anyways, I heard "dragons" and came running, as I tend to do because that's who I am. And now that I've met Nox, I must say I need a soul-bond with a dragon more than I need a boyfriend (or anything else, really).
Fire with Fire is essentially a story about family, friendship, forgiveness and learning to live with your demons. It is told in alternating POVs between two sisters who come from a family of dragon slayers and can't be any more different.
Eden, the older sister, doesn't let herself be anything less than perfect, she literally sees herself as one of the last bastions protecting humanity from dragonkind, like the world depends entirely on her being able to someday kill a dragon. That is a lot of pressure for anyone so, of course, she suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. I can't tell you how much I loved to see this included in a fantasy. Not every character can handle being a badass with equal grace.
Then we have 17 year-old Dani, who is The Chosen One. She effortlessly achieves every benchmark that Eden had to fight tooth and nail for, but she doesn't really care that much about the whole being a slayer thing, All she wants is to be normal.
So yeah, now throw in a soul-bond with a dragon and some sorcerers and you get a pretty good book.
However, I must say this did somehow feel like something I've seen before. The Chosen One saving everyone from the big bad evil with the help of a dragon. I think I would've 5-star-loved this if I had read it back when I was 15 years-old. I still really liked it, I actually liked it more than I expected to: the pacing as quick, the characters were great, it was funny, the stakes were high... there's nothing bad I can call out.
Maybe the thing about it all happening while their parents were out and them not ever picking the phone kind of bothered me a little. It was obviously the easiest way for the story to progress but it felt unoriginal. Like Eden going to Calla instead of her parents when she finds out about Dani... In what world do you go to someone you know your parents don't trust when you believe your sister has been taken by a dragon that may very well kill her?? I see where she's coming from but in that situation I wouldn't care if my parents get mad at me or not, it's my sister's life and they are the ones known for tracking and killing dragons, not Calla.
Anyways, keep in mind this is a fantasy stand-alone, so there aren't that many side plots that can be explored to elevate the story if you still want to get everything wrapped up by the end without it being a 800 page book.
Also, great rep overall. Not only through Eden's anxiety and panic attacks, but Dani is bisexual and I believe they're half Mexican, half Irish. Tomás' family is from Latin America and Saddie is plus-size.
Please tell me you've seen Dragonheart - aka the 90's movie featuring Dennis Quad (and Lupin from Harry Potter) and one of my favorite childhood movies.
Anyways, I heard "dragons" and came running, as I tend to do because that's who I am. And now that I've met Nox, I must say I need a soul-bond with a dragon more than I need a boyfriend (or anything else, really).
Fire with Fire is essentially a story about family, friendship, forgiveness and learning to live with your demons. It is told in alternating POVs between two sisters who come from a family of dragon slayers and can't be any more different.
Eden, the older sister, doesn't let herself be anything less than perfect, she literally sees herself as one of the last bastions protecting humanity from dragonkind, like the world depends entirely on her being able to someday kill a dragon. That is a lot of pressure for anyone so, of course, she suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. I can't tell you how much I loved to see this included in a fantasy. Not every character can handle being a badass with equal grace.
Then we have 17 year-old Dani, who is The Chosen One. She effortlessly achieves every benchmark that Eden had to fight tooth and nail for, but she doesn't really care that much about the whole being a slayer thing, All she wants is to be normal.
So yeah, now throw in a soul-bond with a dragon and some sorcerers and you get a pretty good book.
However, I must say this did somehow feel like something I've seen before. The Chosen One saving everyone from the big bad evil with the help of a dragon. I think I would've 5-star-loved this if I had read it back when I was 15 years-old. I still really liked it, I actually liked it more than I expected to: the pacing as quick, the characters were great, it was funny, the stakes were high... there's nothing bad I can call out.
Maybe the thing about it all happening while their parents were out and them not ever picking the phone kind of bothered me a little. It was obviously the easiest way for the story to progress but it felt unoriginal. Like Eden going to Calla instead of her parents when she finds out about Dani... In what world do you go to someone you know your parents don't trust when you believe your sister has been taken by a dragon that may very well kill her?? I see where she's coming from but in that situation I wouldn't care if my parents get mad at me or not, it's my sister's life and they are the ones known for tracking and killing dragons, not Calla.
Anyways, keep in mind this is a fantasy stand-alone, so there aren't that many side plots that can be explored to elevate the story if you still want to get everything wrapped up by the end without it being a 800 page book.
Also, great rep overall. Not only through Eden's anxiety and panic attacks, but Dani is bisexual and I believe they're half Mexican, half Irish. Tomás' family is from Latin America and Saddie is plus-size.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Grief, and Murder
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