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Fire with Fire
Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it’s kill or be killed where dragons are concerned.
Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.
Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published June 8, 2021
89 people are currently reading
11082 people want to read
About the author
Destiny Soria
3books380followersDestiny Soria is a Young Adult fantasy author and freelance writer. Her novels feature magic, mystery, and an excess of witty banter. She lives in Birmingham, AL, where she spends her time trying to come up with bios that make her sound kind of cool. She has yet to succeed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 588 reviews
August 3, 2021
I loved the book was set in Tennessee and around some of my old stomping grounds. I loved the dragons and some of the characters. I am trading in my beautiful Fairyloot copy as I don’t see myself reading it again. It’s not the book per se, it’s me getting rid of a lot of books I’m not going to reread no matter what star I give them.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 4, 2021
Come see this review and more at my blog, The Scribe Owl!
4.5/5 stars!
A million thanks to Edelweiss and HMH for sending me a copy of this ARC!
I did not plan to enjoy this half as much as I did! For some reason, I went into this with low expectations and I have no idea why. The idea sounded amazing, urban fantasy and dragons? But I just wasn't expecting much. Let me tell you now, those meager expectations were absolutely blown out of the water. This was fantastic. And when I say fantastic, I mean it.
Like I mentioned earlier, the synopsis was a fantastic way to get me to request this ARC right away. Dragons? Sisters? Yes, please. And just as I hoped, this was full of my very favorite tropes! Sister rivalry, strong protagonists, urban fantasy, dragons, romance... what more can you ask for?
The characters were much of the reason I loved this book so much. They were so well fleshed out, even the side characters that are normally overlooked in that department. Dani was the perfect femme fatale-type of protagonist, and so enjoyable to read! It's refreshing to not have to facepalm every five seconds from some stupid decision of the MC. Our other POV, Eden (Dani's older sister), was the perfect kind of is-she-a-bad-guy?-well-I-dunno-let's-see kind of character. She was relatable in her struggles as the overlooked older sister (shout out to all you other older sisters who feel this too, I know the feeling) and her choices, and it's hard not to empathize!
The side characters were just as good and complicated, with Tomás's jokes and perfect best-friend-caring, Sadie's complicated past that she was willing to overlook to help an old friend, and Kieran's grey-area work. And of course Nox's snark and naïevity to the human world. Every time he would ask if it was time to sing "Kumbaya" yet I would have to try not to snicker, lest my family think I'm crazy.
The narration and writing did a fantastic job of tying everything together. Destiny Soria (who has an awesome name by the way) did a fantastic job with her "teen speak" and not making it sound like something in a kiddie cartoon or your dad trying to be cool to your friends. The writing and banter were done perfectly as well and kept me glued to the page. The fast pacing and constantly moving storyline kept me reading until I'd lose track of the time. There were times when I'd look up and an hour was gone! My only complaint with the mechanics is the way the POV switches mid-chapter from Dani to Eden or vice versa. It was more than a little confusing to try to guess who was talking.
I would have liked a little more background knowledge for the worldbuilding, but at this point, that's just me trying to find something wrong. It would have been nice to learn more about the slayer/sorcerer animosity, but it isn't that big of a deal in the grand schemes of this book.
I'm so glad I read this book! It was way better than I expected, and I'd definitely recommend it. I'll be checking out some of the other books by this author for sure, and I'll probably buy a hard copy of this Fire with Fire when it's released!
Content and trigger warnings: Anxiety/panic attacks, blood, death, torture, and violence.
4.5/5 stars!
A million thanks to Edelweiss and HMH for sending me a copy of this ARC!
I did not plan to enjoy this half as much as I did! For some reason, I went into this with low expectations and I have no idea why. The idea sounded amazing, urban fantasy and dragons? But I just wasn't expecting much. Let me tell you now, those meager expectations were absolutely blown out of the water. This was fantastic. And when I say fantastic, I mean it.
Like I mentioned earlier, the synopsis was a fantastic way to get me to request this ARC right away. Dragons? Sisters? Yes, please. And just as I hoped, this was full of my very favorite tropes! Sister rivalry, strong protagonists, urban fantasy, dragons, romance... what more can you ask for?
The characters were much of the reason I loved this book so much. They were so well fleshed out, even the side characters that are normally overlooked in that department. Dani was the perfect femme fatale-type of protagonist, and so enjoyable to read! It's refreshing to not have to facepalm every five seconds from some stupid decision of the MC. Our other POV, Eden (Dani's older sister), was the perfect kind of is-she-a-bad-guy?-well-I-dunno-let's-see kind of character. She was relatable in her struggles as the overlooked older sister (shout out to all you other older sisters who feel this too, I know the feeling) and her choices, and it's hard not to empathize!
The side characters were just as good and complicated, with Tomás's jokes and perfect best-friend-caring, Sadie's complicated past that she was willing to overlook to help an old friend, and Kieran's grey-area work. And of course Nox's snark and naïevity to the human world. Every time he would ask if it was time to sing "Kumbaya" yet I would have to try not to snicker, lest my family think I'm crazy.
The narration and writing did a fantastic job of tying everything together. Destiny Soria (who has an awesome name by the way) did a fantastic job with her "teen speak" and not making it sound like something in a kiddie cartoon or your dad trying to be cool to your friends. The writing and banter were done perfectly as well and kept me glued to the page. The fast pacing and constantly moving storyline kept me reading until I'd lose track of the time. There were times when I'd look up and an hour was gone! My only complaint with the mechanics is the way the POV switches mid-chapter from Dani to Eden or vice versa. It was more than a little confusing to try to guess who was talking.
I would have liked a little more background knowledge for the worldbuilding, but at this point, that's just me trying to find something wrong. It would have been nice to learn more about the slayer/sorcerer animosity, but it isn't that big of a deal in the grand schemes of this book.
I'm so glad I read this book! It was way better than I expected, and I'd definitely recommend it. I'll be checking out some of the other books by this author for sure, and I'll probably buy a hard copy of this Fire with Fire when it's released!
Content and trigger warnings: Anxiety/panic attacks, blood, death, torture, and violence.
January 24, 2023
Actual rating 3.5
Rep: Mexican American mcs, bi mc, mc with anxiety & panic disorder, mlm side characters
CWs: torture, blood
Galley provided by publisher
Destiny Soria has pretty much established herself as my favourite (current) YA fantasy author. There’s no one else I really trust right now, or very few that I can’t name off the top of my head, to give me a book that doesn’t bore me. Fire With Fire is just further proof of that.
The book follows siblings, Dani and Eden, who are trained in dragon slaying. While Dani, the younger, isn’t exactly keen on following the family tradition, Eden has spent her whole life building up to the moment when she’s finally accepted as one. And then Dani ends up bonding with a dragon and their world won’t ever be the same.
I think what I love most about Destiny Soria’s books is the way she creates worlds that drag you in. You’ll end up reading the entire book in a single sitting because you don’t want to leave the world and, when you’re finally done, you feel just a little bit bereft. That’s been the case in each of her previous books for me, and it was also the case here.
It definitely helps also that you’ve always got a cast that you’ll love from the start. Both Dani and Eden jump off the page and, okay so I liked Eden more (older sibling solidarity), but I enjoyed reading each of their POVs just as much. Dani is more of a protagonist than Eden, though, and I think at times I wasn’t exactly eager to read her POVs because of the aforementioned latching onto Eden. There were times I wanted more from Eden than I got, especially given how her storyline went.
There was also the little thing of how Dani’s love interest is, oh, just about 300 years old. I know, I know, he looked like a 17 or 18 year old, but uh. He’s not actually, is he? Okay, so I can suspend a little bit of disbelief, but I can’t really suspend my immediate reaction to that of “oh heck no�. So. There was that.
But overall, this was a very readable and very enjoyable book. And one I would highly recommend.
October 2, 2021
4.5* HOW DID THIS BOOK GO SO UNDER THE RADAR?!
One of the most original, interesting and exciting YA fantasy's I've read in a long time. From the dragons and sisterly bonds to the anxiety and Bi representation to the world building and drains, this book was superb.
The overall concept was brilliantly executed and Soria's writing style had me hooked from the first page until the last. The world building was easy to understand and characters' personalities, relationships and growth were wonderful to follow and superbly constructed. The sibling relationship with its rivalries, comparisons and loyalty was relatable in a way that was heartbreaking to read at times but ultimately so real and interesting. Nox was a cinnamon roll and literally every character was a total badass. I also thought Soria explored anxiety and self doubt with a huge amount of care and sensitivity (it was one of my favourite aspects of the story tbh).
I'd absolutely love to read more from these characters and this world but was overjoyed to discover that the story wrapped up in such a satisfying way.
One of the most original, interesting and exciting YA fantasy's I've read in a long time. From the dragons and sisterly bonds to the anxiety and Bi representation to the world building and drains, this book was superb.
The overall concept was brilliantly executed and Soria's writing style had me hooked from the first page until the last. The world building was easy to understand and characters' personalities, relationships and growth were wonderful to follow and superbly constructed. The sibling relationship with its rivalries, comparisons and loyalty was relatable in a way that was heartbreaking to read at times but ultimately so real and interesting. Nox was a cinnamon roll and literally every character was a total badass. I also thought Soria explored anxiety and self doubt with a huge amount of care and sensitivity (it was one of my favourite aspects of the story tbh).
I'd absolutely love to read more from these characters and this world but was overjoyed to discover that the story wrapped up in such a satisfying way.
June 13, 2021
It seems like dragon books are making a comeback, and folks, I am here. for. it. Fire with Fire blends a contemporary setting in rural Tennessee (complete with usual teenage relationship difficulties) with a hidden world of dragons and sorcerers. With strong themes of sisterhood, loyalty, and defining yourself, this was a captivating read with a pair of compelling protagonists.
This was a solid read, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. In a market that tends to be full of excessive romantic focus, it was nice to see a book where the main emphasis was on sisterhood and family. That’s not to say we didn’t get a compelling romance–the dark, brooding Kieran is the sort of love interest YA fans tend to be suckers for (myself included)–but it never became overbearing. Dani and Eden were both wonderful protagonists, each strong in their own way–Dani, the younger sister who has natural physical aptitude, and Eden, the elder sister who is in a constant mental battle with her own anxiety and perfectionism. Neither sister is infallible, and while I did feel like the story unfairly favored Dani in some places, I appreciated that, in general, the two were just as likely to balance each other out as they were to butt heads. Sibling relationships are complicated, but Soria manages to render the Rivera sisters in a convincing and realistic way.
Speaking of anxiety–I appreciated the anxiety rep in this book. The story didn’t shy away from the oft-nasty effects of anxiety, from social difficulties to constant self-doubt, but it also did not paint Eden as some shrinking violet, incapable of dealing with it. The mentions of various therapy techniques for dealing with anxiety attacks, including medication, alongside a strong message that anxiety does not equate to weakness, made for an overall destigmatizing approach.
One other final note–setting this book in rural Tennessee was a great choice. The mountains and forests provided a plausible cover for the otherwise-way-too-noticeable dragons and sorcerers, while the characters were still able to drive (very long drives, might I add) to bigger cities, including Nashville. (Side note: the random scene at the Vanderbilt Central Library pleased me, especially in that they got the neighboring street names correct.) There were still some weird plot holes, but at least this one element managed to seal up most of them.
For anyone looking for a tale of sisters, family, and of course, dragons, this is a great choice, and I definitely recommend it!
This was a solid read, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. In a market that tends to be full of excessive romantic focus, it was nice to see a book where the main emphasis was on sisterhood and family. That’s not to say we didn’t get a compelling romance–the dark, brooding Kieran is the sort of love interest YA fans tend to be suckers for (myself included)–but it never became overbearing. Dani and Eden were both wonderful protagonists, each strong in their own way–Dani, the younger sister who has natural physical aptitude, and Eden, the elder sister who is in a constant mental battle with her own anxiety and perfectionism. Neither sister is infallible, and while I did feel like the story unfairly favored Dani in some places, I appreciated that, in general, the two were just as likely to balance each other out as they were to butt heads. Sibling relationships are complicated, but Soria manages to render the Rivera sisters in a convincing and realistic way.
Speaking of anxiety–I appreciated the anxiety rep in this book. The story didn’t shy away from the oft-nasty effects of anxiety, from social difficulties to constant self-doubt, but it also did not paint Eden as some shrinking violet, incapable of dealing with it. The mentions of various therapy techniques for dealing with anxiety attacks, including medication, alongside a strong message that anxiety does not equate to weakness, made for an overall destigmatizing approach.
One other final note–setting this book in rural Tennessee was a great choice. The mountains and forests provided a plausible cover for the otherwise-way-too-noticeable dragons and sorcerers, while the characters were still able to drive (very long drives, might I add) to bigger cities, including Nashville. (Side note: the random scene at the Vanderbilt Central Library pleased me, especially in that they got the neighboring street names correct.) There were still some weird plot holes, but at least this one element managed to seal up most of them.
For anyone looking for a tale of sisters, family, and of course, dragons, this is a great choice, and I definitely recommend it!
April 11, 2022
I really, really loved this book and I’m very confused about why it hasn’t gained more popularity by this point.
Fire with Fire is an urban fantasy in the vein of LEGENDBORN about a Latinx family of dragon slayers living in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It follows some typical YA tropes (as most YA fantasy books do) but I thought the characters were well-written and it was fast-paced enough to keep my attention more than any other book I was reading at the time.
Possibly my favorite thing about the book was the characters. Eden and Dani are sisters training to be dragon slayers. One of my favorite things about their family was how loving and supportive their parents are. FINALLY, we get a fantasy book where the parents aren’t either dead or abusive. Eden is the eldest sister. She’s in college, is a huge perfectionist, and struggles with anxiety. Dani is more of the “main character� of the book, although it’s told from both Eden and Dani’s POV’s, and she’s more interested in living a normal teenage life than being a slayer, even though she’s kind of a slayer prodigy. I also really appreciated Dani’s relationships with Tomás (boys and girls CAN be just friends in fiction!) and her ex-best friend Sadie. The inclusion of Sadie’s obsession with the dragon subreddit was a little too real.
In fact, that was one really cool thing about this book—how the dragons are a part of our world without us knowing it. Yes, the dragons have magical abilities to conceal themselves, but the sorcerer’s mind-wiping powers, the historical documents in the special collections library at Vanderbilt, and the dragon-believing-subreddit really brought things together nicely. It was especially cool because I live in the general area and hike a lot, so when it talked about missing hikers and plane crashes in the mountains it was eerily accurate.
I also really liked the villain(s) of the story and can’t wait to see where the next book goes with that. I’ve seen a few people complain about the ambiguity of the magic system (specifically, stuff regarding the sorcerers and what it means that they “lose their soul�) but I’m hoping some of that will be explained in book two. I’m okay not knowing for now.
Fire with Fire is an urban fantasy in the vein of LEGENDBORN about a Latinx family of dragon slayers living in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It follows some typical YA tropes (as most YA fantasy books do) but I thought the characters were well-written and it was fast-paced enough to keep my attention more than any other book I was reading at the time.
Possibly my favorite thing about the book was the characters. Eden and Dani are sisters training to be dragon slayers. One of my favorite things about their family was how loving and supportive their parents are. FINALLY, we get a fantasy book where the parents aren’t either dead or abusive. Eden is the eldest sister. She’s in college, is a huge perfectionist, and struggles with anxiety. Dani is more of the “main character� of the book, although it’s told from both Eden and Dani’s POV’s, and she’s more interested in living a normal teenage life than being a slayer, even though she’s kind of a slayer prodigy. I also really appreciated Dani’s relationships with Tomás (boys and girls CAN be just friends in fiction!) and her ex-best friend Sadie. The inclusion of Sadie’s obsession with the dragon subreddit was a little too real.
In fact, that was one really cool thing about this book—how the dragons are a part of our world without us knowing it. Yes, the dragons have magical abilities to conceal themselves, but the sorcerer’s mind-wiping powers, the historical documents in the special collections library at Vanderbilt, and the dragon-believing-subreddit really brought things together nicely. It was especially cool because I live in the general area and hike a lot, so when it talked about missing hikers and plane crashes in the mountains it was eerily accurate.
I also really liked the villain(s) of the story and can’t wait to see where the next book goes with that. I’ve seen a few people complain about the ambiguity of the magic system (specifically, stuff regarding the sorcerers and what it means that they “lose their soul�) but I’m hoping some of that will be explained in book two. I’m okay not knowing for now.
April 19, 2021
|||
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had incredibly high hopes for this book and unfortunately was disappointed. As always, characters are incredibly important to my reading experience. Dani was a fun character, and I was literally obsessed with Nox. I would have liked more of their relationship; however, this story focuses on the sisters. Eden is quite literally one of the most intolerable characters I’ve ever read. Our bad guys were stereotypical. There was literally no linear character growth for the main characters.
The writing felt as though I was reading a lot while being told almost nothing. The POV switches mid-sentence forced me to go back and re-read things constantly. It was jarring and pulled me out of the story. The representation and diversity were incredibly well done. It addressed real things that affect bisexual people and Latinx people. In this writing execution though, they get almost swept under the rug by how frustrating reading this book was.
My full review will be posted on July 11th, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had incredibly high hopes for this book and unfortunately was disappointed. As always, characters are incredibly important to my reading experience. Dani was a fun character, and I was literally obsessed with Nox. I would have liked more of their relationship; however, this story focuses on the sisters. Eden is quite literally one of the most intolerable characters I’ve ever read. Our bad guys were stereotypical. There was literally no linear character growth for the main characters.
The writing felt as though I was reading a lot while being told almost nothing. The POV switches mid-sentence forced me to go back and re-read things constantly. It was jarring and pulled me out of the story. The representation and diversity were incredibly well done. It addressed real things that affect bisexual people and Latinx people. In this writing execution though, they get almost swept under the rug by how frustrating reading this book was.
My full review will be posted on July 11th, 2021
May 3, 2021
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc for an honest opinion.
Please take in mind it’s my opinion, and everyone is allowed to have one.
This was such an interesting read, I was hooked immediately. Something I haven’t read before, which made it even better. The plot was great and the book was well written.
I liked how we got to see how both sisters experienced the whole journey. Even though I liked Dani’s character more, I thought she was more interesting but that didn’t take away Eden’s moment.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc for an honest opinion.
Please take in mind it’s my opinion, and everyone is allowed to have one.
This was such an interesting read, I was hooked immediately. Something I haven’t read before, which made it even better. The plot was great and the book was well written.
I liked how we got to see how both sisters experienced the whole journey. Even though I liked Dani’s character more, I thought she was more interesting but that didn’t take away Eden’s moment.
April 24, 2021
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: torture, animal killing
3
Sisters Dani and Eden Rivera were raised as dragon hunters, trained by their parents and always expected to follow in their footsteps. While Eden cares about nothing more than their magical destinies, for Dani dragon hunting is just another thing in her life full of bonfires and romantic drama- even though she's a hunting prodigy. Dani's first experience with a dragon, however, isn't during a hunt and doesn't end in death, it instead winds up with the ability to communicate with the dragon and a desire to question everything she's been taught. The danger and strangeness of working with a dragon isn't the only problem, either- Eden is being lured towards magic, a magic that will steal her humanity.
I'm a sucker for books with good sibling relationships, and I love dragons, so I had hopes that I'd love this one. Unfortunately, it didn't line up for me.
I did like the concept of the sisters. They're bonded together by their family, obviously, but also by this tradition and secret that they have to keep from the rest of the world. The idea of them being connected by this thing and also sort of torn apart thanks to it- because of Eden's jealousy, and later on with Dani's bond with the dragon- works really well. I also love how Dani's POV talks a lot about how cool she thinks Eden is when she's fighting, and how much she respects her abilities, which is nice to see and a good extra perspective with Eden's own bitterness over not being as good as Dani.
Nox and Kieran are also interesting characters. The extra layers of world building and general context helps the story a lot, and I found both of them compelling. Nox's backstory is really effective, as well as emotional, as is Kieran's, and I found myself wishing they had a bit more spotlight because I had the most fun reading when they got to be center stage.\
However, there were a lot of things that fell flat for me. The worldbuilding, in general, felt bland, and while the idea of the sorcerers is cool I just never felt connected enough to them or their power to fully care. The stakes in this story are super inconsistent, and I couldn't stay invested.
I also don't love most of the characters, and especially disliked the romantic aspects. For Eden, the romance isn't bad- mostly because it's only a romance for approximately one chapter before everything spirals out of control. But Dani's romantic arc is a mess. Personally I feel like Sadie as a character is highly unnecessary, and her involvement in this story did nothing for me but add more fluff to confuse the story. The actual romantic interest... disgusted me. Not as a character- Kieran is, again, really cool as a character, and I enjoy him in a general sense- but I think we as a society have progressed past the need for 1) romance for the sake of two characters being in the same general area together and 2) romances between a teenage girl and a hundred plus year old dude. If a man is 300 years old and he's interested in you, a high school senior, run for the hills. Not to mention that there is literally no reason for Kieran to be romantically interested in her, or romantically interested in anyone in the context of this story.
While conceptually a cool idea, the actual story felt too general and the romance was both unrealistic and uncomfortable.
TW: torture, animal killing
3
Sisters Dani and Eden Rivera were raised as dragon hunters, trained by their parents and always expected to follow in their footsteps. While Eden cares about nothing more than their magical destinies, for Dani dragon hunting is just another thing in her life full of bonfires and romantic drama- even though she's a hunting prodigy. Dani's first experience with a dragon, however, isn't during a hunt and doesn't end in death, it instead winds up with the ability to communicate with the dragon and a desire to question everything she's been taught. The danger and strangeness of working with a dragon isn't the only problem, either- Eden is being lured towards magic, a magic that will steal her humanity.
I'm a sucker for books with good sibling relationships, and I love dragons, so I had hopes that I'd love this one. Unfortunately, it didn't line up for me.
I did like the concept of the sisters. They're bonded together by their family, obviously, but also by this tradition and secret that they have to keep from the rest of the world. The idea of them being connected by this thing and also sort of torn apart thanks to it- because of Eden's jealousy, and later on with Dani's bond with the dragon- works really well. I also love how Dani's POV talks a lot about how cool she thinks Eden is when she's fighting, and how much she respects her abilities, which is nice to see and a good extra perspective with Eden's own bitterness over not being as good as Dani.
Nox and Kieran are also interesting characters. The extra layers of world building and general context helps the story a lot, and I found both of them compelling. Nox's backstory is really effective, as well as emotional, as is Kieran's, and I found myself wishing they had a bit more spotlight because I had the most fun reading when they got to be center stage.\
However, there were a lot of things that fell flat for me. The worldbuilding, in general, felt bland, and while the idea of the sorcerers is cool I just never felt connected enough to them or their power to fully care. The stakes in this story are super inconsistent, and I couldn't stay invested.
I also don't love most of the characters, and especially disliked the romantic aspects. For Eden, the romance isn't bad- mostly because it's only a romance for approximately one chapter before everything spirals out of control. But Dani's romantic arc is a mess. Personally I feel like Sadie as a character is highly unnecessary, and her involvement in this story did nothing for me but add more fluff to confuse the story. The actual romantic interest... disgusted me. Not as a character- Kieran is, again, really cool as a character, and I enjoy him in a general sense- but I think we as a society have progressed past the need for 1) romance for the sake of two characters being in the same general area together and 2) romances between a teenage girl and a hundred plus year old dude. If a man is 300 years old and he's interested in you, a high school senior, run for the hills. Not to mention that there is literally no reason for Kieran to be romantically interested in her, or romantically interested in anyone in the context of this story.
While conceptually a cool idea, the actual story felt too general and the romance was both unrealistic and uncomfortable.
June 22, 2021
I am sad to say that this book was disappointing.
The description sounded amazing, I love books with dragons in.
Eden and Dani are training to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, her schooling and friends are more important than dragon slaying, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. When Dani connects with a Dragon, Nox, her life is turned upside down and everything she once believed about Dragons is wrong.
I really disliked Eden. She was frustrating, selfish and made me want to scream. Her chapters were absolute torture and I wanted to skip over them.
Dani was an alright character and I think I would have liked the book more if it had been from hers and Nox's POV. I don't think Nox got enough development or content in this story. Dani's romantic storyline was frustrating. Sadie was a pointless addition to the story. I felt like her addition was only to show "evidence" of Dani's bisexuality. It should be enough to just say someone is bisexual and then we move on with the rest of the story. As a bisexual person myself, I just found this irritating.
I found the writing style to be very difficult to get immersed in. For starters, in the first half of the book nothing much happened and I was getting so bored I almost stopped reading. The switching between POV's wasn’t smooth or well-timed and it pulling me out of the story because I had to re-read sections multiple times.
Positives for me were the representation of Latinx characters, Dani's bisexuality, and Eden's mental health and self-image issues.
*I was sent a copy of this book by NetGalley in return for an honest review*
The description sounded amazing, I love books with dragons in.
Eden and Dani are training to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, her schooling and friends are more important than dragon slaying, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. When Dani connects with a Dragon, Nox, her life is turned upside down and everything she once believed about Dragons is wrong.
I really disliked Eden. She was frustrating, selfish and made me want to scream. Her chapters were absolute torture and I wanted to skip over them.
Dani was an alright character and I think I would have liked the book more if it had been from hers and Nox's POV. I don't think Nox got enough development or content in this story. Dani's romantic storyline was frustrating. Sadie was a pointless addition to the story. I felt like her addition was only to show "evidence" of Dani's bisexuality. It should be enough to just say someone is bisexual and then we move on with the rest of the story. As a bisexual person myself, I just found this irritating.
I found the writing style to be very difficult to get immersed in. For starters, in the first half of the book nothing much happened and I was getting so bored I almost stopped reading. The switching between POV's wasn’t smooth or well-timed and it pulling me out of the story because I had to re-read sections multiple times.
Positives for me were the representation of Latinx characters, Dani's bisexuality, and Eden's mental health and self-image issues.
*I was sent a copy of this book by NetGalley in return for an honest review*
May 21, 2021
4 stars *may change
This book was so cute! :)
I knew when I saw that this had a bisexual latine main cast I had to pick it up, and while I'm not a fan of ya, this book was really charming. The writing style was quite simple which only added to what is a bit of an absurd and silly plot � dragons living in the modern age and hunters having to kill them? Even the main character remarks how weird it sounds. Actually, for a ya book, it slipped a surprising number of f-bombs in there, and I'm sitting here like, "yeah...this is how my family speaks all right."
I really like little details that I can see myself in � from the food they eat, how the characters speak, the dynamics, and especially Tomás' "Mind your language" every time Dani said Oh my God lol.
I'm not personally close to my sister, so reading about sister bonds like these are always really interesting. To see how two people can have such a strong connection and watching said connection falter over time after error and doubt. It's a different kind of dynamic than they have with anyone else, so seeing it crumble and change is always an experience.
I just think it was very...? Charming? Cute? Have I used both of those words already? It's an endearing book with a simple plot and characters you can follow. Something lighthearted-sish (dubious) to read.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an advanced reader's copy.
This book was so cute! :)
I knew when I saw that this had a bisexual latine main cast I had to pick it up, and while I'm not a fan of ya, this book was really charming. The writing style was quite simple which only added to what is a bit of an absurd and silly plot � dragons living in the modern age and hunters having to kill them? Even the main character remarks how weird it sounds. Actually, for a ya book, it slipped a surprising number of f-bombs in there, and I'm sitting here like, "yeah...this is how my family speaks all right."
I really like little details that I can see myself in � from the food they eat, how the characters speak, the dynamics, and especially Tomás' "Mind your language" every time Dani said Oh my God lol.
I'm not personally close to my sister, so reading about sister bonds like these are always really interesting. To see how two people can have such a strong connection and watching said connection falter over time after error and doubt. It's a different kind of dynamic than they have with anyone else, so seeing it crumble and change is always an experience.
I just think it was very...? Charming? Cute? Have I used both of those words already? It's an endearing book with a simple plot and characters you can follow. Something lighthearted-sish (dubious) to read.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an advanced reader's copy.
January 19, 2023
I’m actually sad this is over! Such a great, fun and underappreciated fantasy standalone. 💕
November 26, 2021
actual rating � 3.5
Sibling rivalry against a backdrop of dragons, magic, and emotions is bound to unravel a tale about family, forgiveness, and friendship. While the chosen one trope sets up a predictable plot that might read repetitive as an idea, the quick pace and humorous undertones manage to keep the interest intact. The familial bonds are explored with as much sincerity as the soul bonds with dragons that intrigue through the magic system. With an anxiety rep worth appreciating for authenticity and characters with distinct personalities, this urban fantasy consistently engages through young women depicting flaws and bravery.
� digital copy received via netgalley �
June 11, 2021
So I admit it said dragons so I wanted to read, what person doesn’t love dragons !!! This book is so different from what I expected though and it blew me away, the world building was brilliant, the characters so well constructed and developed over the course of the story, I loved the relationships of the sisters, very competitive and loving at the same time, felt a very realistic relationship to me. I loved how the author made you feel that a school was a completely normal along the world of dragon training , but basically the whole love of the story, my main focus was Nox, the dragon, he was an character , I love how developed his character and story was and I truly hope there are more books to come from this world
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
October 14, 2021
Fire with Fire introduces you to two sisters, Eden and Dani. They have been trained to become dragon slayers basically all their life. One would think that these two would be super close and think the same things when it came to this but you would be completely wrong. It's honestly not a surprise to me when siblings are different from one another. It does creep me out when they aren't though.
Maybe it's because I'm 4-5 years younger than my sister and brother. So it's normal for me to be like - okay, Dani thinks this way and Eden thinks the other. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Right? Wrong. Well maybe.
The one things these two don't agree on is dragon slaying. Dani wants to have a normal life outside of what she has been taught and Eden really wants to do her family proud and slay a dragon. Of course things do not go the way that they want. Eden is kind of bit by the jealousy bug and by kind of I mean she's getting real sick and tired of Dani being the golden child. Then there's Dani who walks into a dragon and forms a magical connection.
Not that I don't love Dani and Nox's bond because Nox was just adorable. He showed her that she was basically growing up on lies. It was very eye opening but I felt bad because of what Eden was going through at the same time. She's constantly told that she's not good enough and she just wants to prove everyone wrong.
Lots of stuff goes down and Eden continues to spiral down the wrong direction. Then there's Dani just learning more about dragons, eggs, magic, and everything in between. At one point, I almost through my phone because I didn't want what was about to happen to anyone. Then I would get a glimpse at the villain and just want revenge. Full ass revenge.
In the end, I guess I'm okay with what happened to a certain someone but I wanted more. So much more - like death.
Maybe it's because I'm 4-5 years younger than my sister and brother. So it's normal for me to be like - okay, Dani thinks this way and Eden thinks the other. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Right? Wrong. Well maybe.
The one things these two don't agree on is dragon slaying. Dani wants to have a normal life outside of what she has been taught and Eden really wants to do her family proud and slay a dragon. Of course things do not go the way that they want. Eden is kind of bit by the jealousy bug and by kind of I mean she's getting real sick and tired of Dani being the golden child. Then there's Dani who walks into a dragon and forms a magical connection.
Not that I don't love Dani and Nox's bond because Nox was just adorable. He showed her that she was basically growing up on lies. It was very eye opening but I felt bad because of what Eden was going through at the same time. She's constantly told that she's not good enough and she just wants to prove everyone wrong.
Lots of stuff goes down and Eden continues to spiral down the wrong direction. Then there's Dani just learning more about dragons, eggs, magic, and everything in between. At one point, I almost through my phone because I didn't want what was about to happen to anyone. Then I would get a glimpse at the villain and just want revenge. Full ass revenge.
In the end, I guess I'm okay with what happened to a certain someone but I wanted more. So much more - like death.
July 15, 2021
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria is a solid YA LGBT+ fantasy with intriguing characters and great representation. The core cast is easily the best part of this since everyone felt quite realistic. The main point where the novel fell a short of being great as a whole was on the world building. I never had quite the level of info I would have like to have been really sucked into the world the character inhabit. On the whole, the story has a great concept and while it's a good read, it never quite manages to live up to its true potential.
Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria is a solid YA LGBT+ fantasy with intriguing characters and great representation. The core cast is easily the best part of this since everyone felt quite realistic. The main point where the novel fell a short of being great as a whole was on the world building. I never had quite the level of info I would have like to have been really sucked into the world the character inhabit. On the whole, the story has a great concept and while it's a good read, it never quite manages to live up to its true potential.
October 10, 2021
check out the full review along with an aesthetic on my !
i went in for the sibling rivalry and it did not disappoint!! 21st century dragon slayers, magic, siblings who go from tolerating each other to being on opposite sides, interesting characters, anxiety and bisexual rep, solid friendships and immersive writing, this book has it all.
i went in for the sibling rivalry and it did not disappoint!! 21st century dragon slayers, magic, siblings who go from tolerating each other to being on opposite sides, interesting characters, anxiety and bisexual rep, solid friendships and immersive writing, this book has it all.
June 14, 2021
This book just held my attention like nothing else the plot was fast paced & exciting I loved it. I honestly loved & hated one of main characters equally as I could relate to her but not condone her actions. My favourite part of the book was the bond with dragon as I can only wish that I could talk to my cats like that. This is an engaging urban fantasy that I would recommend to everyone
June 29, 2021
this book was so beautiful and fun to read! a bisexual with her dragon, lots of dragons, sisters who love each other but will battle, wow.......
August 23, 2022
3.5
Really great anxiety representation which I feel is pretty unusual for fantasy so I loved seeing that, and there was also bisexual representation, all mixed in with a fantasy about my favourite fantasy creatures, dragons! It’s set in our world but depicted as with an aspect hidden from most of humanity, with slayers hunting down dragons in secret. I absolutely adored Nox, the dragon who turns out to be soul-bonded with one of our main characters, Dani. I loved that dragons are depicted as basically bigger, more dangerous cats, and I really felt like you got a strong personality from Nox.
I would have loved for the story to focus more on the bond between Nox and Dani, but instead there’s a heavy focus on the sisterly relationship between Dani and her older sister Eden. Normally I would have liked this, but I just really didn’t like Eden. She was incredibly annoying, and the bad guys in the book were also pretty stereotypical and just not that compelling.
I also struggled to distinguish the difference between the POVs. Although Dani and Eden are supposed to be vastly different people, their POVs felt like they were the same person, which was quite frustrating.
The writing made for a quick read, and while this is a good YA book, it’s also just pretty basic and I felt like it had wasted potential in terms of the dragons - they could have easily been used in the plot more, and it felt like a waste.
Really great anxiety representation which I feel is pretty unusual for fantasy so I loved seeing that, and there was also bisexual representation, all mixed in with a fantasy about my favourite fantasy creatures, dragons! It’s set in our world but depicted as with an aspect hidden from most of humanity, with slayers hunting down dragons in secret. I absolutely adored Nox, the dragon who turns out to be soul-bonded with one of our main characters, Dani. I loved that dragons are depicted as basically bigger, more dangerous cats, and I really felt like you got a strong personality from Nox.
I would have loved for the story to focus more on the bond between Nox and Dani, but instead there’s a heavy focus on the sisterly relationship between Dani and her older sister Eden. Normally I would have liked this, but I just really didn’t like Eden. She was incredibly annoying, and the bad guys in the book were also pretty stereotypical and just not that compelling.
I also struggled to distinguish the difference between the POVs. Although Dani and Eden are supposed to be vastly different people, their POVs felt like they were the same person, which was quite frustrating.
The writing made for a quick read, and while this is a good YA book, it’s also just pretty basic and I felt like it had wasted potential in terms of the dragons - they could have easily been used in the plot more, and it felt like a waste.
Want to read
May 22, 2020Sister dragon slayers turned enemies written by the mastermind who brought us Iron Cast and Beneath the Citadel??
WANT TO READ
WANT TO READ
WANT TO READ
WANT TO READ
WANT TO READ
WANT TO READ
WANT TO READ
WANT TO READ
March 8, 2021
4.5 stars
Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria—the modern dragon hunting story you didn’t know you needed.
This book engulfed me in fiery flames of love and happiness and wonder and pure, pure magic. I mean� DRAGONS. And SIBLINGS. And beautiful, platonic FRIENDSHIPS. And MAGIC. Just leave me here to scream my head off and proclaim by absolute love and admiration for this book.
"If she were a litigious sort of person, Dani was reasonably certain she could’ve had her best friend charged with attempted murder."
THIS BOOK.
This book is exactly what it needs to be. I would not change a single thing. Well, aside from some really minor stuff but who cares about that?
Let’s talk characters. Dani, the main main character, and Eden the older sister and other main character. Both are incredible, though I must say I liked Dani more. She captured the essence of the teenage voice (see: above quote). Also, what a good rep :) Dani is bisexual, and a blendy (half white, half Latinex). She’s such a trailblazing powerhouse and it’s GLORIOUS.
The characters were definitely the best part of this book. Especially Nox (the dragon). The banter between Dani and Nox was top notch. The plot was predictable-ish, but I found it didn’t matter (much like in a rom-com, I was just here for a fun romp with dragons, I didn’t need to be surprised)
"Yellow glow of headlights. Claws. Teeth. Gray scales. Trailing smoke. The leathery crinkle of wings. The hypnotic sway of a razor-sharp tail. Violet eyes, catlike and gleaming. A dragon."
The ONLY criticism I have is that the world building could’ve used a little more background, and Dani and Kieran’s relationship was a little icky. 200 year old immortal + 16 year old immortal� I think not. It needed some reworking. Or some disappearing. Friendship is 1000 times better than romance.
On that note though, Dani’s relationship with Thomas (her best friend) was beautiful. She slugged a guy for him, he turned up at her house with skittles. This the kind of friendship I need in my life.
All in all, this was a wonderful, fiery, contemporary, dragon and magic filled romp through the “woods�. HIGHLY recommend. You just have to stick with it past the first chapter, because the start is a little funky.
Huge thanks to Edelweiss, the publisher and author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
| | |
Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria—the modern dragon hunting story you didn’t know you needed.
This book engulfed me in fiery flames of love and happiness and wonder and pure, pure magic. I mean� DRAGONS. And SIBLINGS. And beautiful, platonic FRIENDSHIPS. And MAGIC. Just leave me here to scream my head off and proclaim by absolute love and admiration for this book.
"If she were a litigious sort of person, Dani was reasonably certain she could’ve had her best friend charged with attempted murder."
THIS BOOK.
This book is exactly what it needs to be. I would not change a single thing. Well, aside from some really minor stuff but who cares about that?
Let’s talk characters. Dani, the main main character, and Eden the older sister and other main character. Both are incredible, though I must say I liked Dani more. She captured the essence of the teenage voice (see: above quote). Also, what a good rep :) Dani is bisexual, and a blendy (half white, half Latinex). She’s such a trailblazing powerhouse and it’s GLORIOUS.
The characters were definitely the best part of this book. Especially Nox (the dragon). The banter between Dani and Nox was top notch. The plot was predictable-ish, but I found it didn’t matter (much like in a rom-com, I was just here for a fun romp with dragons, I didn’t need to be surprised)
"Yellow glow of headlights. Claws. Teeth. Gray scales. Trailing smoke. The leathery crinkle of wings. The hypnotic sway of a razor-sharp tail. Violet eyes, catlike and gleaming. A dragon."
The ONLY criticism I have is that the world building could’ve used a little more background, and Dani and Kieran’s relationship was a little icky. 200 year old immortal + 16 year old immortal� I think not. It needed some reworking. Or some disappearing. Friendship is 1000 times better than romance.
On that note though, Dani’s relationship with Thomas (her best friend) was beautiful. She slugged a guy for him, he turned up at her house with skittles. This the kind of friendship I need in my life.
All in all, this was a wonderful, fiery, contemporary, dragon and magic filled romp through the “woods�. HIGHLY recommend. You just have to stick with it past the first chapter, because the start is a little funky.
Huge thanks to Edelweiss, the publisher and author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
| | |
December 27, 2021
‘Two Sisters. Divided they burn.�
For Eden and Dani Rivera,slaying dragons is their families� legacy. Eden has sacrificed everything to become the greatest dragon slayer, even skipping her own graduation. but Dani,her younger sister (and veritable prodigy) prefers social gatherings to dragon slaying.
However, Dani’s encounter and subsequent soul bond with a dragon puts the sisters at odds.
In learning more about the dragon Nox, Dani realises that everything she knows about dragons is wrong.Eden, in trying to save Dani, sides with the dragon hating sorcerers.
On opposite sides of a centuries old feud, these warring sisters are playing with magic far dangerous than they can imagine,as an even greater enemy awaits in the shadows.
Such an enthrallingly addictive and action packed tale,Destiny Soria has achieved the unthinkable- a dragon fantasy set in the 21st Century! I didn’t think dragons would work so well outside of high fantasy but I LOVED it.
The sass, the sarcasm, the sibling rivalry. Simply superb, all of the characters were well written and felt like real people,not just characters. I thought Nox was an absolute sweetheart and his cluelessness to human sarcasm and pop culture references was so endearing, there were several moments that just made me laugh.
It’s written from the POV of both Eden and Dani and how they both fit into their families� dynamics� honestly, I did really sympathise with Eden at the star. Her increasingly questionable choices juxtaposed with Dani’s POV nicely and really had me on the edge of my seat. Dani definitely grew on me (after meeting Nox) and I really enjoyed her interactions with Sadie and Tomás.
There is some romance but ultimately, the narrative’s driven by the bond of sisterhood.
The way in which mental health, especially anxiety was portrayed was incredible. Seeing such an important and often stigmatised topic tackled in a sensitive and postive manner was enlightening.
I’d recommend to fans of Dragons, dragon related fiction and YA fantasy. It’s definitely a must read of 2021, there’s tons of action, diversity and DRAGONS! What more could you want.
Lastly just wanted to thank Hodder&Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC.
For Eden and Dani Rivera,slaying dragons is their families� legacy. Eden has sacrificed everything to become the greatest dragon slayer, even skipping her own graduation. but Dani,her younger sister (and veritable prodigy) prefers social gatherings to dragon slaying.
However, Dani’s encounter and subsequent soul bond with a dragon puts the sisters at odds.
In learning more about the dragon Nox, Dani realises that everything she knows about dragons is wrong.Eden, in trying to save Dani, sides with the dragon hating sorcerers.
On opposite sides of a centuries old feud, these warring sisters are playing with magic far dangerous than they can imagine,as an even greater enemy awaits in the shadows.
Such an enthrallingly addictive and action packed tale,Destiny Soria has achieved the unthinkable- a dragon fantasy set in the 21st Century! I didn’t think dragons would work so well outside of high fantasy but I LOVED it.
The sass, the sarcasm, the sibling rivalry. Simply superb, all of the characters were well written and felt like real people,not just characters. I thought Nox was an absolute sweetheart and his cluelessness to human sarcasm and pop culture references was so endearing, there were several moments that just made me laugh.
It’s written from the POV of both Eden and Dani and how they both fit into their families� dynamics� honestly, I did really sympathise with Eden at the star. Her increasingly questionable choices juxtaposed with Dani’s POV nicely and really had me on the edge of my seat. Dani definitely grew on me (after meeting Nox) and I really enjoyed her interactions with Sadie and Tomás.
There is some romance but ultimately, the narrative’s driven by the bond of sisterhood.
The way in which mental health, especially anxiety was portrayed was incredible. Seeing such an important and often stigmatised topic tackled in a sensitive and postive manner was enlightening.
I’d recommend to fans of Dragons, dragon related fiction and YA fantasy. It’s definitely a must read of 2021, there’s tons of action, diversity and DRAGONS! What more could you want.
Lastly just wanted to thank Hodder&Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC.
October 12, 2021
4.5/5
The Rivera family are esteemed within the dragon slayer community. Sisters Dani and Eden have been training for their whole lives together, but they couldn't be more different. Dani would rather get to live a normal life while Eden dedicates all her free time to training. But when it comes down to it, both will risk everything to survive. Then Dani comes face to face to a dragon and forges a rare and magical connection with him. Nox shows her all she knows about dragons is a lie. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden must rely on the mysterious sorcerers to get her sister back.
Fire with Fire is an urban fantasy that is dually narrated by Dani and Eden. I loved that this is set in the Smokey Mountains! It's so cool to have aspects of fantasy brought into the real world. Right off the bat, I loved both of these sisters. I was immediately drawn to Dani's skill as a dragon slayer and Eden's determination to always improve herself. I loved that both of these girls had ambition even if it manifested in different ways and choices.
This book is definitely about dragons, but it's also about family. The bonds that tie us to humanity and how they change us. I loved the sibling dynamic between Eden and Dani even when they were on different sides of the dragon conflict. This was an excellent standalone with a fast pace and intriguing characters. I would love to see a sequel in this world because there are still plenty of questions that could be explored even with how nicely this book wrapped up!
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.
The Rivera family are esteemed within the dragon slayer community. Sisters Dani and Eden have been training for their whole lives together, but they couldn't be more different. Dani would rather get to live a normal life while Eden dedicates all her free time to training. But when it comes down to it, both will risk everything to survive. Then Dani comes face to face to a dragon and forges a rare and magical connection with him. Nox shows her all she knows about dragons is a lie. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden must rely on the mysterious sorcerers to get her sister back.
Fire with Fire is an urban fantasy that is dually narrated by Dani and Eden. I loved that this is set in the Smokey Mountains! It's so cool to have aspects of fantasy brought into the real world. Right off the bat, I loved both of these sisters. I was immediately drawn to Dani's skill as a dragon slayer and Eden's determination to always improve herself. I loved that both of these girls had ambition even if it manifested in different ways and choices.
This book is definitely about dragons, but it's also about family. The bonds that tie us to humanity and how they change us. I loved the sibling dynamic between Eden and Dani even when they were on different sides of the dragon conflict. This was an excellent standalone with a fast pace and intriguing characters. I would love to see a sequel in this world because there are still plenty of questions that could be explored even with how nicely this book wrapped up!
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.
August 1, 2021
I liked it but didn’t love it. Is it bad that I wanted more dragons� especially more moments with Nox? I felt like he wasn’t in it as much�
I was really hoping I would absolutely love this book and I did in a sense. I liked the plot and the characters but at some aspects, the book felt like it dragged on and on. Some of the character's actions made me put down the book and stare at the corner of my room and reconsider life BUT THEN there were moments were I laughed out loud and had to reread the scene again because I enjoyed it so much.
I’ll be completely honest, I don’t know how to explain my thoughts.
I felt the romance was rushed and didn’t have time to develop. You’re expecting me to believe my girl Dani caught feelings for a boy who's 200+ years old after knowing him for not even a full day? Where’s that angst? The slow-burn? The fire? And believe me, them as a couple was enjoyable and cute but very rushed (in my opinion). I just thought it was odd a 200+ boy fell for a seventeen year old in a day but I can look past the age difference considering� my absolute burning love for the Darkling� but that’s neither here nor there.
I also felt the ending was rushed in a sense. The main showdown between slayers and sorcerer was not as extravagant as I would have intentionally expected but I liked it. I thought it was fine.
Speaking of the ending, it is bad that I like to read about the main character dying and being resurrected? Like that scene was the best part of the book besides the banter with Nox. It’s just something about that angst between Kieran and Dani while she dies and speaks her last words.
Side note: if anyone has any recommendations that have a similar scene (the main character dies & gets resurrected), please let me know!! I need that angst in my life.
Anyway, I thought it was good but not great. Gorgeous cover though😩
Can’t decide between a 3.5 or 4�
I was really hoping I would absolutely love this book and I did in a sense. I liked the plot and the characters but at some aspects, the book felt like it dragged on and on. Some of the character's actions made me put down the book and stare at the corner of my room and reconsider life BUT THEN there were moments were I laughed out loud and had to reread the scene again because I enjoyed it so much.
I’ll be completely honest, I don’t know how to explain my thoughts.
I felt the romance was rushed and didn’t have time to develop. You’re expecting me to believe my girl Dani caught feelings for a boy who's 200+ years old after knowing him for not even a full day? Where’s that angst? The slow-burn? The fire? And believe me, them as a couple was enjoyable and cute but very rushed (in my opinion). I just thought it was odd a 200+ boy fell for a seventeen year old in a day but I can look past the age difference considering� my absolute burning love for the Darkling� but that’s neither here nor there.
I also felt the ending was rushed in a sense. The main showdown between slayers and sorcerer was not as extravagant as I would have intentionally expected but I liked it. I thought it was fine.
Speaking of the ending, it is bad that I like to read about the main character dying and being resurrected? Like that scene was the best part of the book besides the banter with Nox. It’s just something about that angst between Kieran and Dani while she dies and speaks her last words.
Side note: if anyone has any recommendations that have a similar scene (the main character dies & gets resurrected), please let me know!! I need that angst in my life.
Anyway, I thought it was good but not great. Gorgeous cover though😩
Can’t decide between a 3.5 or 4�
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2021
3.5
Tw: Panic disorder, torture, animal killing
Fire with Fire follows sisters Dani and Eden who are from a long line of dragon hunters. While younger sister Dani doesn’t really want to spend her life slaying dragons, to Eden it its her entire world. When Dani ends up forming a “soul bond� with a dragon, the two sisters end up on opposite sides of a centuries-long war.
I thought this was a pretty good read, I love the creativity of the plot and the fact that dragons are now making a comeback in YA literature. I loved the emphasis on sisterly bonds and family over romance because as the oldest of three girls, sisterhood is something really important to me.
I thought the characters were well thought out and interesting thought there were times (many times) I found Dani to be annoying and obstinate. I found myself really drawn to Eden (yes oldest sisters!), because, like her, I too have generalized anxiety and panic disorder. Her struggle with these things made her a really compelling character and it was her journey I found the most interesting over the course of the story.
I thought the setting was wonderful and despite a few plot holes, it was a generally solid YA fantasy
Tw: Panic disorder, torture, animal killing
Fire with Fire follows sisters Dani and Eden who are from a long line of dragon hunters. While younger sister Dani doesn’t really want to spend her life slaying dragons, to Eden it its her entire world. When Dani ends up forming a “soul bond� with a dragon, the two sisters end up on opposite sides of a centuries-long war.
I thought this was a pretty good read, I love the creativity of the plot and the fact that dragons are now making a comeback in YA literature. I loved the emphasis on sisterly bonds and family over romance because as the oldest of three girls, sisterhood is something really important to me.
I thought the characters were well thought out and interesting thought there were times (many times) I found Dani to be annoying and obstinate. I found myself really drawn to Eden (yes oldest sisters!), because, like her, I too have generalized anxiety and panic disorder. Her struggle with these things made her a really compelling character and it was her journey I found the most interesting over the course of the story.
I thought the setting was wonderful and despite a few plot holes, it was a generally solid YA fantasy
September 20, 2021
*3.25 FIERY STARS*
“When the stakes are life and death, you have to make sacrifices.�
I actually ended up enjoying this one!
At first I wasn't sure I would, due to the constant POV switching between Dani and Eden en I didn't feel connected to either of the sisters because of that, but I ended up caring about them by the end anyway.
That ending was a little abrupt and I didn't buy Eden's 180° switch. I feel like this could do with a sequel, because some things were left pretty open. I'm not sure there's going to be one though.
I especially love the bond between Dani and Nox and the importance of family in this one.
While I liked this, I don't see myself re-reading this anytime soon, hence the 3-star rating.
“When the stakes are life and death, you have to make sacrifices.�
I actually ended up enjoying this one!
At first I wasn't sure I would, due to the constant POV switching between Dani and Eden en I didn't feel connected to either of the sisters because of that, but I ended up caring about them by the end anyway.
That ending was a little abrupt and I didn't buy Eden's 180° switch. I feel like this could do with a sequel, because some things were left pretty open. I'm not sure there's going to be one though.
I especially love the bond between Dani and Nox and the importance of family in this one.
While I liked this, I don't see myself re-reading this anytime soon, hence the 3-star rating.
September 16, 2021
I am very sorry to give this such a low rating, but unfortunately I really did not enjoy this book. This book to me was a very good example of only telling and no showing.
The two sisters from who's POV the story was told were very one-dimensional. Dani was supposed to be this badass sassy character who could do everything, but she was just annoying and super forced. Eden was supposedly the responsible one, but was just really jealous. Both their choices throughout the story didn't make any sense and there was no character growth whatsoever.
The side characters had no personality and had absolutely no functional purpose to the story. Sadie, it felt like, was only there as "proof" that Dani was bisexual and nothing else.
All the supposedly "high stake" moments did not feel like it. There was never enough explanation for it to feel like it was important. The same with the soulband Dani had with the her dragon, it was supposed to be magical and they cared sooo much about each other, but nothing showed this. It was just there one moment and it was really unbelievable.There was no chemistry between any of the characters. Again, this book was only showing and no telling and it was incredibly annoying.
I was excited about this book, because the story is promising, but unfortunately it did not live up to its potential at all.
The two sisters from who's POV the story was told were very one-dimensional. Dani was supposed to be this badass sassy character who could do everything, but she was just annoying and super forced. Eden was supposedly the responsible one, but was just really jealous. Both their choices throughout the story didn't make any sense and there was no character growth whatsoever.
The side characters had no personality and had absolutely no functional purpose to the story. Sadie, it felt like, was only there as "proof" that Dani was bisexual and nothing else.
All the supposedly "high stake" moments did not feel like it. There was never enough explanation for it to feel like it was important. The same with the soulband Dani had with the her dragon, it was supposed to be magical and they cared sooo much about each other, but nothing showed this. It was just there one moment and it was really unbelievable.There was no chemistry between any of the characters. Again, this book was only showing and no telling and it was incredibly annoying.
I was excited about this book, because the story is promising, but unfortunately it did not live up to its potential at all.
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August 13, 2023I didn't choose you, and you didn't choose me. But we have each other now. Always.
Part of a family of dragon slayers, sisters Dani & Eden become divided when one of them discovers they share a rare magical soul bond with a dragon and the other gets mixed up with sorcerers.
This book definitely took me by surprise. It was a little slow-paced at the beginning and I was kinda expecting to end up DNF-ing ... but once I got to about 30% and the plot really started picking up I couldn't stop reading .. I am glad I stuck it out!
I enjoyed the sisterly dynamics throughout - the love, rivalry & competitiveness between the two. I also really liked Kieran (who doesn't love a morally grey(ish) kinda character) .. but ... I was mostly here for Nox!! His sarcasm and sassiness
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