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ashleighreadsbooks 's review for:
Of Flame and Fury
by Mikayla Bridge
2.75 stars rounded up.
Of Flame and Fury follows Kelyn Vara, a member of the Crimson Howlers; a crew who take part in phoenix racing, the most profitable and deadly work you can find. When the Howler’s rider is brutally killed during a race, Kel is forced to join forces with arrogant and hot-headed Warren Coupers - the last person she would ever want on her team. Kel must contend with perilous races, the threat of a deadly disease, and her growing attraction to Coup. After a mysterious tech mogul takes an unsettling interest in the team, Kel uncovers a sinister plot that will threaten everything she cares for, as she fights to keep her phoenix and her magic out of the hands of those who would use it for their own gain.
This book had great bones; the elements for a great story were there, but nothing was fleshed out or explained enough. I wanted more phoenix racing, more phoenix lore, more world-building, more tension in the romance, more explanation of the rebellion group. Everything felt very surface level, which often left me confused or wanting more information. There are lots of plot points, and it could be possible that the author didn’t have the page count to develop them.
The characters were fine, but I didn’t feel connected to them and they lacked depth. I found Kel to be very self-absorbed and impulsive, often being rude or dismissive to her teammates. The romance was unfortunately not the “smouldering enemies-to-lovers romance” that was advertised. This is a rivals-turned-allies romance with mild dislike that lacked tension and chemistry. This book is also YA, so there is only kissing and no spice at all (I thought this was worth a mention as the romance in this book has been marketed as for fans of Fourth Wing).
The pacing felt quite slow in the first half, and then quickly ramped up in the second half. The phoenix racing scenes were my favourite parts of the book, and I think they were written well with a decent amount of action. The plot felt quite predictable, and none of the twists really surprised me.
All in all, this book was fine. However, I think the lack of depth and the comparison to Fourth Wing did it a disservice. I’m not sure I enjoyed it enough to warrant picking up the sequel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Books/First Ink for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.