What do you think?
Rate this book
WILDFIRE
Evie has a promising new life as a ballerina, but this is shattered when her parents are killed by monsters. Discovering she can wield fire, she’s thrust into the perilous world of Syrestia, where she must protect her estranged brother and navigate her growing attraction to Kit, the powerful ex-assassin aiding her.
As dangerous secrets about her heritage come to light, Evie finds herself at the heart of a deadly political conflict, making her both a saviour and a target.
When a brutal attack threatens everything she holds dear, Evie must turn to an enemy to confront her true identity and master her volatile powers – or risk becoming the devastating force the Faeries fear she is.
As dangerous secrets about her heritage come to light, Evie finds herself at the heart of a deadly political conflict, making her both a saviour and a target.
When a brutal attack threatens everything she holds dear, Evie must turn to an enemy to confront her true identity and master her volatile powers – or risk becoming the devastating force the Faeries fear she is.
- GenresFantasy
448 pages, Hardcover
Published June 28, 2025
9 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
May 25, 2025
I really enjoyed Wildfire! The magic system and world-building were super unique, and I loved diving into all the different layers of the story. Evie’s character development was so fun to follow—she really grows throughout the book. I’m a sucker for a good why-choose romance, and while I liked the whole dynamic, I have to say…Ishmael is definitely my favorite. The book kicks off with action right away and keeps that momentum going, which made it hard to put down. Big thanks to the NerdFam for the gifted ARC
August 14, 2025
2 ⭐️
Okay so here’s the thing: I’m totally fine being thrown into action. I like chaos. I like waking up in a world mid-breakdown with no map and a knife in my hand...but what I don't like is confusion that feels unintentional.
The first few chapters of WILDFIRE are a fever dream...but not in the fun, haunting way. More like, “Did I skip a prologue?”... We’re in a nightmare realm? Real world? Combat training? Is the trauma emotional or spatial? Who knows. Not me. Not the MC. Probably not the editor either.
The writing tries to be gritty and visceral, but it ends up tangled in itself. You’ve got clunky metaphors, awkward internal monologue, and a pacing issue where action scenes feel like they’re happening underwater. There's blood and death and glowing blue daggers... but it’s giving “fight choreography written in a blackout.” And the tone bounces between sarcastic inner dialogue and deadly-serious grief without earning either.
Evie (our FMC) has fire powers, dead parents, trauma, and the personality of a very loud Tumblr post from 2012. She’s angry, impulsive, and rude in a way that could be endearing if she ever… evolved. But she doesn’t. She's the same disaster from page one to the final chapter, just with more body count and bigger flames. I kept waiting for the “moment of growth,” and instead I got “oops, forgot that important plot point I lived through.”
Honestly, we could’ve used another POV if only to take a break from the aggressive internal monologue and erratic choices. Mel and a few side characters showed promise, but they barely get any page time. (Tragic. I liked Mel. Mel deserved rights.)
And then there's Kit. Secretive, pale, immortal(?)...basically a fae blueprint. But instead of communicating like a functioning adult, he just broods and gatekeeps critical information while vaguely flirting with the girl he promised her dead mom he’d protect. There’s also the “you look like your mom” line, followed shortly by sexual tension. So yeah, it got weird. Fast.
The worldbuilding? Vibes over logic. Factions are thrown around like we’re supposed to already know them. Locations are mentioned, but they never feel lived in. Syrestia could’ve been rich and immersive, instead it's just…not. At all. It reads like a storyboard with missing captions.
Bottom line: WILDFIRE had all the ingredients for a solid romantasy, but none of the execution. It’s giving first draft energy with a side of teen rage and trauma bonding. If that’s your thing, godspeed. Personally? I’m tapping out of this series unless book two comes with a character arc and an actual map.
*ARC provided by NetGalley & Troubador for my honest review.
Okay so here’s the thing: I’m totally fine being thrown into action. I like chaos. I like waking up in a world mid-breakdown with no map and a knife in my hand...but what I don't like is confusion that feels unintentional.
The first few chapters of WILDFIRE are a fever dream...but not in the fun, haunting way. More like, “Did I skip a prologue?”... We’re in a nightmare realm? Real world? Combat training? Is the trauma emotional or spatial? Who knows. Not me. Not the MC. Probably not the editor either.
The writing tries to be gritty and visceral, but it ends up tangled in itself. You’ve got clunky metaphors, awkward internal monologue, and a pacing issue where action scenes feel like they’re happening underwater. There's blood and death and glowing blue daggers... but it’s giving “fight choreography written in a blackout.” And the tone bounces between sarcastic inner dialogue and deadly-serious grief without earning either.
Evie (our FMC) has fire powers, dead parents, trauma, and the personality of a very loud Tumblr post from 2012. She’s angry, impulsive, and rude in a way that could be endearing if she ever… evolved. But she doesn’t. She's the same disaster from page one to the final chapter, just with more body count and bigger flames. I kept waiting for the “moment of growth,” and instead I got “oops, forgot that important plot point I lived through.”
Honestly, we could’ve used another POV if only to take a break from the aggressive internal monologue and erratic choices. Mel and a few side characters showed promise, but they barely get any page time. (Tragic. I liked Mel. Mel deserved rights.)
And then there's Kit. Secretive, pale, immortal(?)...basically a fae blueprint. But instead of communicating like a functioning adult, he just broods and gatekeeps critical information while vaguely flirting with the girl he promised her dead mom he’d protect. There’s also the “you look like your mom” line, followed shortly by sexual tension. So yeah, it got weird. Fast.
The worldbuilding? Vibes over logic. Factions are thrown around like we’re supposed to already know them. Locations are mentioned, but they never feel lived in. Syrestia could’ve been rich and immersive, instead it's just…not. At all. It reads like a storyboard with missing captions.
Bottom line: WILDFIRE had all the ingredients for a solid romantasy, but none of the execution. It’s giving first draft energy with a side of teen rage and trauma bonding. If that’s your thing, godspeed. Personally? I’m tapping out of this series unless book two comes with a character arc and an actual map.
*ARC provided by NetGalley & Troubador for my honest review.
June 27, 2025
Okay… hear me out…
The first 50 pages of Wildfire left me completely confused. I couldn’t even really enjoy the book at that point. Things did start to make a bit more sense eventually, but even then, I felt like I was missing essential context. I get that mystery is part of the appeal, but the lack of clarity made it hard to stay engaged. A little more setup would’ve helped a lot.
The relationship between Kitt and Evie moved way too fast. Their constant push and pull felt more like 12-year-olds than actual emotional growth. It happened so much and so quickly that it lost all impact. It was hard to feel invested in their dynamic when it didn’t feel earned.
And Kit? He just disappeared in the last 20% of the book. I get the whole “tough love/ignore you for your own good” thing, but it felt too abrupt. Aside from one scene, he’s just gone, and then nothing. No wrap-up, no moment of reconnection?? He vanished. I honestly kept asking myself, “Where the hell is Kit?” It felt like the story forgot about him.
On the flip side, Ishmael was a really great character. I wish we had gotten to know more about him. Miss Ellen, if you’re reading this, please give us more Ishmael. He brought a calm, intriguing energy that stood out in all the chaos.
The ending itself was weird. The very last paragraph was intriguing and gave the story a slight boost, but overall it felt rushed and unresolved. I’m okay with cliffhangers and unanswered questions, but I don’t like feeling like I missed half the story.
I also had a hard time connecting with the FMC. She complains constantly, curses everyone out, starts fights over everything—like, girl, please. Do you know how to act like a decent human being? Apparently not. Her brother, on the other hand, is the complete opposite, which felt a bit too stark and forced at times.
Overall, I have mixed feelings. The plot had real potential, and I genuinely liked the magic system and the world, even if it needed more backstory. But the confusion, rushed romance, and unresolved threads made it hard to stay emotionally connected. If you’re into fantasy books heavy on mystery, chaos, and possibly multiple love interests, this might work for you. But if you want something that grabs you from page one and keeps you hooked, Wildfire might not be it. And definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in.
3,5 stars from me!
The first 50 pages of Wildfire left me completely confused. I couldn’t even really enjoy the book at that point. Things did start to make a bit more sense eventually, but even then, I felt like I was missing essential context. I get that mystery is part of the appeal, but the lack of clarity made it hard to stay engaged. A little more setup would’ve helped a lot.
The relationship between Kitt and Evie moved way too fast. Their constant push and pull felt more like 12-year-olds than actual emotional growth. It happened so much and so quickly that it lost all impact. It was hard to feel invested in their dynamic when it didn’t feel earned.
And Kit? He just disappeared in the last 20% of the book. I get the whole “tough love/ignore you for your own good” thing, but it felt too abrupt. Aside from one scene, he’s just gone, and then nothing. No wrap-up, no moment of reconnection?? He vanished. I honestly kept asking myself, “Where the hell is Kit?” It felt like the story forgot about him.
On the flip side, Ishmael was a really great character. I wish we had gotten to know more about him. Miss Ellen, if you’re reading this, please give us more Ishmael. He brought a calm, intriguing energy that stood out in all the chaos.
The ending itself was weird. The very last paragraph was intriguing and gave the story a slight boost, but overall it felt rushed and unresolved. I’m okay with cliffhangers and unanswered questions, but I don’t like feeling like I missed half the story.
I also had a hard time connecting with the FMC. She complains constantly, curses everyone out, starts fights over everything—like, girl, please. Do you know how to act like a decent human being? Apparently not. Her brother, on the other hand, is the complete opposite, which felt a bit too stark and forced at times.
Overall, I have mixed feelings. The plot had real potential, and I genuinely liked the magic system and the world, even if it needed more backstory. But the confusion, rushed romance, and unresolved threads made it hard to stay emotionally connected. If you’re into fantasy books heavy on mystery, chaos, and possibly multiple love interests, this might work for you. But if you want something that grabs you from page one and keeps you hooked, Wildfire might not be it. And definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in.
3,5 stars from me!
May 22, 2025
This book starts off in action, it keeps up the action through out the entire book. The characters are interesting and diverse. I liked the magic and the different aspects of the creatures. There is definitely room for another book and I would love to see more from the characters.
June 5, 2025
Characters: 4.00⭐️
Setting: 4.00⭐️
Plot: 3.75⭐️
Themes: 3.75⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 4.00⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.5⭐️
Overall rating: 4.00⭐️
Evie and her brother Will are on the run from monsters who had killed their parents. They are saved by a stranger named Kit who brings her into a world of magic and monsters. Evie discovers she could wield fire and slowly starts to unravel who her parents really are and what the future holds for her and her brother.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. Did it have the standard romantasy type tropes? Of course it did, but I liked the world building, the magic system and all the different, diverse characters. Evie did get on my nerves sometimes but her developing relationship with Kit was hot. The spice scenes were SPICY. I can see this book series going into a more why choose scenario which I am here for.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and the progression of things, and it’s the first romantasy in a while that I didn't feel like I was rolling my eyes at a bunch of times.
Would I recommend this book? Yes.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Setting: 4.00⭐️
Plot: 3.75⭐️
Themes: 3.75⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 4.00⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.5⭐️
Overall rating: 4.00⭐️
Evie and her brother Will are on the run from monsters who had killed their parents. They are saved by a stranger named Kit who brings her into a world of magic and monsters. Evie discovers she could wield fire and slowly starts to unravel who her parents really are and what the future holds for her and her brother.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. Did it have the standard romantasy type tropes? Of course it did, but I liked the world building, the magic system and all the different, diverse characters. Evie did get on my nerves sometimes but her developing relationship with Kit was hot. The spice scenes were SPICY. I can see this book series going into a more why choose scenario which I am here for.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and the progression of things, and it’s the first romantasy in a while that I didn't feel like I was rolling my eyes at a bunch of times.
Would I recommend this book? Yes.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2025
I'm starting off by saying this book has some good aspects, and I am curious about what happens next and will likely read book 2.
Getting into the details of why I rated it 3 stars:
I was confused by all the names and concepts that were thrown out with little to no explanation. The FMC is in the dark about a lot of the truth for the first ⅔ of the book, and so are we since we're only getting her POV, which made it hard to know what was happening. This book would have benefited from more POVs.
I also had whiplash with the hot and cold between the MCs. They were fighting and then making out every other page. I wanted more slow burn tension from them. But I honestly don't like Kit at all.
The magic is intriguing, and I'm interested to see more of that in the next one. I'm also rooting for Ishmael (loved getting his POV at the end).
Overall, this is a promising first book in a series for which I am hopeful will continue to grow and improve.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Deb Ellen for this ARC.
Getting into the details of why I rated it 3 stars:
I was confused by all the names and concepts that were thrown out with little to no explanation. The FMC is in the dark about a lot of the truth for the first ⅔ of the book, and so are we since we're only getting her POV, which made it hard to know what was happening. This book would have benefited from more POVs.
I also had whiplash with the hot and cold between the MCs. They were fighting and then making out every other page. I wanted more slow burn tension from them. But I honestly don't like Kit at all.
The magic is intriguing, and I'm interested to see more of that in the next one. I'm also rooting for Ishmael (loved getting his POV at the end).
Overall, this is a promising first book in a series for which I am hopeful will continue to grow and improve.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam and Deb Ellen for this ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2025
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but it ended up pleasantly surprising me! Our FMC grew up as a human and battles with belonging but little does she know, her life is about to change completely. I really enjoyed the world building, although there were some unreliable narrator portions, but you’ll find out why. I will say I think this book would have done well as a YA because sometimes it felt like certain scenes detracted from the overall story. However, I still thought it flowed well overall! If you enjoy monsters, magic, and deception at every turn, this book is for you! Thank you to NerdFam for the gifted eARC!
June 12, 2025
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
I really, really enjoyed Wildfire! The pacing was super fast, which kept me turning the pages, and I was immediately hooked. There were a few moments that got a little confusing, but overall, I loved the story — especially the “why choose” dynamic.
Also: I KNEW I was going to love Ishmael from the start — and I was so right 😍. Now I’m just counting down until book two because I need more!
I really, really enjoyed Wildfire! The pacing was super fast, which kept me turning the pages, and I was immediately hooked. There were a few moments that got a little confusing, but overall, I loved the story — especially the “why choose” dynamic.
Also: I KNEW I was going to love Ishmael from the start — and I was so right 😍. Now I’m just counting down until book two because I need more!
July 4, 2025
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the eARC!
Wildfire by Deb Ellen was a rollercoaster of emotions for me.
I was sucked into Evie’s world and honestly left just as confused as she was for the first few chapters.
I loved the characters different types of magics and figuring out what all they could do.
Evie and Kit have a super interesting dynamic; enemies to lovers… to enemies?
And I just know Ishmael is going to be a big part of the next book!
Wildfire by Deb Ellen was a rollercoaster of emotions for me.
I was sucked into Evie’s world and honestly left just as confused as she was for the first few chapters.
I loved the characters different types of magics and figuring out what all they could do.
Evie and Kit have a super interesting dynamic; enemies to lovers… to enemies?
And I just know Ishmael is going to be a big part of the next book!
did-not-finish
July 12, 2025I might come back to this one, but I had a hard time connecting with Evie and found her so frustrating and it really took me out of the story. Not being able to focus left me feeling a bit confused by the world building, so I’m going to step away. I hope to come back at some point and hopefully have a better time getting immersed into this one - because I do find the concept and world interesting though!
June 27, 2025
Thank ya The Nerd Fam for the arc of this book! I really loved the world this book created!! I really loved the side characters! especially Evangeline's brother Will. And Kit was hot!!! really interested to see where it goes from here!!!
July 1, 2025
I really hate DNFing books, but I just could not anymore. I made it about 48% through and had to unfortunately be done with it.
The concept behind the book is definitely unique and had me intrigued. I liked most of our characters as well, but unfortunately I could not handle our FMC and she is the reason I had to DNF.
Thank you so much to the author and TheNerdFam for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The concept behind the book is definitely unique and had me intrigued. I liked most of our characters as well, but unfortunately I could not handle our FMC and she is the reason I had to DNF.
Thank you so much to the author and TheNerdFam for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2025
Thank you TheNerdFam for an eARC copy of this great story!
Wildfire completely pulled me in from the start — I honestly couldn’t put it down. If you’re like me and love a good romantasy with rich world-building, action, and strong characters, enemies to lovers, this one checks every box.
The story was packed with twists, magic, and tension that had me flying through the pages. I especially loved exploring the magic system through the different types of magic in this world — it added such a fresh and immersive layer to the plot. And the romance? So good. The chemistry, the tension, the way it unfolded alongside the action… it was everything I wanted.
If you’re into fast-paced romantasy with high stakes, enemies to lovers, magical lore, and a story that keeps your heart racing, Wildfire is a must-read.
Wildfire completely pulled me in from the start — I honestly couldn’t put it down. If you’re like me and love a good romantasy with rich world-building, action, and strong characters, enemies to lovers, this one checks every box.
The story was packed with twists, magic, and tension that had me flying through the pages. I especially loved exploring the magic system through the different types of magic in this world — it added such a fresh and immersive layer to the plot. And the romance? So good. The chemistry, the tension, the way it unfolded alongside the action… it was everything I wanted.
If you’re into fast-paced romantasy with high stakes, enemies to lovers, magical lore, and a story that keeps your heart racing, Wildfire is a must-read.
May 25, 2025
Final Rating: 2.5-3 Stars
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Wildfire is a very action-packed debut Adult Romantasy novel that follows Evie. Growing up, Evie and her younger brother Will had a tough childhood. Constantly moving around, Evie grew up to resent her parents, ultimately leaving him behind to pursue her dreams of becoming a Ballerina. That dream died quickly as her brother puts their fight aside and calls her, stating their parents have been killed. What Evie didn’t know was the domino effect that horrible night will cause. Thrust into an unknown world Evie and Will find out their have powers, the pair must navigate unknown waters. Secrets became to come out about their heritage, unknown figures are hunting them down, and she must turn towards the enemy to learn to wield her powers. Between avoiding becoming the monster they think she is and her growing attraction to Kit, the ex-assassin assisting her, her story becomes one of her own.
If you love quick-action packed stories with consistent movement, like Holly Renee, you will love this. I commend Deb Ellen for following her dream.s For a debut novel, she did well with trying to tie the story, characters, and ultimate world building together while trying to keep the pacing up. Ultimately I do not think this novel was for me. While I do love a quick, action-packed novel, I felt the characters were not easy to connect with. Much to the novel was Evie battling herself, getting mad ad those helping her, and then wonder why she wasn’t being trusted or helped. I felt terrible for Will, but he also caused a ton of problems. Additionally, it felt to quick at times to where I was confused on the story, what secrets were coming out, and why everyone was sleeping with one another. I felt that the novel got slow at times, even though things were moving. Because of this, I didn’t really connect with the story or the characters and felt stuck the whole time. I wish it was broken up into two novels so we can get a better understanding of the story, their pasts, and why Evie was so angry all the time. While this novel was not for me, I do see how readers will enjoy this one. It is a great palette cleanser book for those long novels and if you love a man who can turn into a fox with a shady past.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
Wildfire is a very action-packed debut Adult Romantasy novel that follows Evie. Growing up, Evie and her younger brother Will had a tough childhood. Constantly moving around, Evie grew up to resent her parents, ultimately leaving him behind to pursue her dreams of becoming a Ballerina. That dream died quickly as her brother puts their fight aside and calls her, stating their parents have been killed. What Evie didn’t know was the domino effect that horrible night will cause. Thrust into an unknown world Evie and Will find out their have powers, the pair must navigate unknown waters. Secrets became to come out about their heritage, unknown figures are hunting them down, and she must turn towards the enemy to learn to wield her powers. Between avoiding becoming the monster they think she is and her growing attraction to Kit, the ex-assassin assisting her, her story becomes one of her own.
If you love quick-action packed stories with consistent movement, like Holly Renee, you will love this. I commend Deb Ellen for following her dream.s For a debut novel, she did well with trying to tie the story, characters, and ultimate world building together while trying to keep the pacing up. Ultimately I do not think this novel was for me. While I do love a quick, action-packed novel, I felt the characters were not easy to connect with. Much to the novel was Evie battling herself, getting mad ad those helping her, and then wonder why she wasn’t being trusted or helped. I felt terrible for Will, but he also caused a ton of problems. Additionally, it felt to quick at times to where I was confused on the story, what secrets were coming out, and why everyone was sleeping with one another. I felt that the novel got slow at times, even though things were moving. Because of this, I didn’t really connect with the story or the characters and felt stuck the whole time. I wish it was broken up into two novels so we can get a better understanding of the story, their pasts, and why Evie was so angry all the time. While this novel was not for me, I do see how readers will enjoy this one. It is a great palette cleanser book for those long novels and if you love a man who can turn into a fox with a shady past.
June 27, 2025
*ARC review*
Wildfire is a romantasy about a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is taken to a different realm, along with her brother, for protection after their parents are murdered by monsters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t drawn in by this book at all. The main character, Evie, is annoying, immature, impulsive, rude, envious, and doesn’t learn from her mistakes. I can’t think of any redeeming qualities and she doesn’t experience any character growth – she’s the same person at the end of the book, just with dangerous powers. I found it frustrating when Evie forgot certain events that happened, so the reader knows things she does not. Extra points of view may have worked effectively here and I’d have appreciated some time away from Evie. Some of the side characters, like Mel, seemed more likable and interesting and I was looking forward to getting to know more about them, but I was out of luck there as well.
The main male character, Kit, is secretive, aloof, and temperamental. I’m still unclear why he didn’t just explain everything that was going on to Evie rather than keep her in the dark, although I suspect it’s because the whole story is about her slowly finding out snippets of information, so an explanation would have made for a very short book. He calls Evie a child, met her when she was younger, says she looks like her Mom (who he made a promise to about protecting her daughter), then initiates a sexual relationship, which I found very creepy.
The world of Syrestia is not clearly realised, the settings lack detail, and as a result, I never found myself immersed in it. The different factions and place names are repeatedly mentioned but not fully fleshed out, causing confusion. Ultimately, this was not a book for me, but I hope others find some enjoyment with it.
Wildfire is a romantasy about a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is taken to a different realm, along with her brother, for protection after their parents are murdered by monsters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t drawn in by this book at all. The main character, Evie, is annoying, immature, impulsive, rude, envious, and doesn’t learn from her mistakes. I can’t think of any redeeming qualities and she doesn’t experience any character growth – she’s the same person at the end of the book, just with dangerous powers. I found it frustrating when Evie forgot certain events that happened, so the reader knows things she does not. Extra points of view may have worked effectively here and I’d have appreciated some time away from Evie. Some of the side characters, like Mel, seemed more likable and interesting and I was looking forward to getting to know more about them, but I was out of luck there as well.
The main male character, Kit, is secretive, aloof, and temperamental. I’m still unclear why he didn’t just explain everything that was going on to Evie rather than keep her in the dark, although I suspect it’s because the whole story is about her slowly finding out snippets of information, so an explanation would have made for a very short book. He calls Evie a child, met her when she was younger, says she looks like her Mom (who he made a promise to about protecting her daughter), then initiates a sexual relationship, which I found very creepy.
The world of Syrestia is not clearly realised, the settings lack detail, and as a result, I never found myself immersed in it. The different factions and place names are repeatedly mentioned but not fully fleshed out, causing confusion. Ultimately, this was not a book for me, but I hope others find some enjoyment with it.
June 26, 2025
3⭐️ – Wildfire definitely throws you into the action from the start. The fight scenes are intense, and there’s a great sense of urgency as the protagonist works to distinguish what’s real from what isn’t. However, the world-building left me a bit overwhelmed. There’s a lot of information thrown at you, but not enough explanation to really ground the reader. The constant introduction of new characters and places in each chapter left me feeling a little lost at times.
I also found myself wanting more from the magic system, especially with faeries wielding fire and ice powers. There’s potential there, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Now, as for the FMC—whew, she was a challenge in the first half of the book. Her behavior was downright frustrating, but I did start to understand her more as the story progressed. Still, her combative attitude was hard to digest at times. Once she calmed down and started acting more her age, I definitely found her more likable.
The romance is definitely a slow burn, and it wasn’t always easy to root for. I think a dual POV would’ve helped make their connection feel more tangible—especially since the FMC’s attraction to him was clear right from the start. I wanted to read the MMCs thoughts, the yearning or obsession (if it exists).
All in all, I enjoyed the book and I’ll be picking up book two when it comes out!
Thank you NerdFam for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
I also found myself wanting more from the magic system, especially with faeries wielding fire and ice powers. There’s potential there, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Now, as for the FMC—whew, she was a challenge in the first half of the book. Her behavior was downright frustrating, but I did start to understand her more as the story progressed. Still, her combative attitude was hard to digest at times. Once she calmed down and started acting more her age, I definitely found her more likable.
The romance is definitely a slow burn, and it wasn’t always easy to root for. I think a dual POV would’ve helped make their connection feel more tangible—especially since the FMC’s attraction to him was clear right from the start. I wanted to read the MMCs thoughts, the yearning or obsession (if it exists).
All in all, I enjoyed the book and I’ll be picking up book two when it comes out!
Thank you NerdFam for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
June 27, 2025
Okay, I’ve put off writing this review, because this is the first ARC I’ve read and didn’t love.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: THIS IS NOT A BAD BOOK! Now I know what you’re thinking, if it isn’t a bad book, why does it only have 2.5 stars??? (rounded down for Goodreads)
Look, listen: the author has a great writing style, the concept super original and I like it a lot! But the way everything came together and the characters left something to be desired for me.
The main thing for me was that the FMC was not the most likable. I really connect with her feeling out of place in her family, of feeling constrained by her parents and struggling to maintain her great relationship with her brother. And her gaining magic powers???? Super cool!!! And the author did it well and it didn’t feel cliche.
But the girl has the BIGGEST trust issues (well earned) and her and another character keep having the same conflict over and over and over and over and over and over….you get the picture. And it felt like it kept slowing down the pacing and made other plot points feel repetitive instead of progressing.
THAT BEING SAID: This story is super interesting still, and I’m still going to try to read the second book whenever it comes out, because I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!
Thank you to Deb Ellen and The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to read this eARC and share my honest opinion!
FIRST THINGS FIRST: THIS IS NOT A BAD BOOK! Now I know what you’re thinking, if it isn’t a bad book, why does it only have 2.5 stars??? (rounded down for Goodreads)
Look, listen: the author has a great writing style, the concept super original and I like it a lot! But the way everything came together and the characters left something to be desired for me.
The main thing for me was that the FMC was not the most likable. I really connect with her feeling out of place in her family, of feeling constrained by her parents and struggling to maintain her great relationship with her brother. And her gaining magic powers???? Super cool!!! And the author did it well and it didn’t feel cliche.
But the girl has the BIGGEST trust issues (well earned) and her and another character keep having the same conflict over and over and over and over and over and over….you get the picture. And it felt like it kept slowing down the pacing and made other plot points feel repetitive instead of progressing.
THAT BEING SAID: This story is super interesting still, and I’m still going to try to read the second book whenever it comes out, because I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!
Thank you to Deb Ellen and The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to read this eARC and share my honest opinion!
June 6, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was engaging, fast-paced, and full of interesting twists. From the start, I was curious about where things were going, and the plot kept me hooked right up to the end.
One thing I did struggle with, though, was understanding the world. At first, the setting and the rules of how things worked weren’t entirely clear to me. It took some time to figure out what kind of world I was in, which made the beginning a bit confusing. But as the story progressed, things started falling into place. I liked how the author didn’t give everything away at once. Instead, she let the world unfold gradually, which made me pay closer attention.
What stood out most for me was how creative and original the concept felt. It had just the right mix of action and mystery to keep things moving, and I never felt bored while reading. Even though the world-building was a bit unclear at first, by the end I had a good grasp on it and really appreciated how it all came together.
Overall, Wildfire was a great read: unique, intriguing, and definitely worth picking up.
One thing I did struggle with, though, was understanding the world. At first, the setting and the rules of how things worked weren’t entirely clear to me. It took some time to figure out what kind of world I was in, which made the beginning a bit confusing. But as the story progressed, things started falling into place. I liked how the author didn’t give everything away at once. Instead, she let the world unfold gradually, which made me pay closer attention.
What stood out most for me was how creative and original the concept felt. It had just the right mix of action and mystery to keep things moving, and I never felt bored while reading. Even though the world-building was a bit unclear at first, by the end I had a good grasp on it and really appreciated how it all came together.
Overall, Wildfire was a great read: unique, intriguing, and definitely worth picking up.
June 13, 2025
Wildfire is a spicy romantasy where enemies become lovers and an eventual why choose with multiple possible love interests.
I enjoyed this book. The action starts right from the beginning, keeping you engaged, and on a rollercoaster ride the entire time. The magic system is different than I’ve read before, and Evie’s (the FMC) power may either be bad and something everyone fears or good and will be everyone’s savior – you won’t find out until you read the book!
I didn’t care for Evie in the beginning, but she grows throughout the story, and I loved all the side characters. The world building was easy to follow, there are a lot of secrets we are left unraveling, and I enjoyed the relationships between everyone. There were a bunch of interesting twists and political intrigue. I would recommend and I’m excited to where it goes.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
I enjoyed this book. The action starts right from the beginning, keeping you engaged, and on a rollercoaster ride the entire time. The magic system is different than I’ve read before, and Evie’s (the FMC) power may either be bad and something everyone fears or good and will be everyone’s savior – you won’t find out until you read the book!
I didn’t care for Evie in the beginning, but she grows throughout the story, and I loved all the side characters. The world building was easy to follow, there are a lot of secrets we are left unraveling, and I enjoyed the relationships between everyone. There were a bunch of interesting twists and political intrigue. I would recommend and I’m excited to where it goes.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
June 30, 2025
This was one of those books I just could not put down. Right from the start the world building was good and the magic system unique. There are twists and turns and secrets.
Evie and Kit clash - I loved their chemistry and the tension between them. There is some great banter and funny moments and I found myself laughing out loud.
Evie has some serious trust issues…and things to work through. She was understandably angry. Did I want to yell at her a few times? Yes I did! But she was on her own schedule…
No spoilers, but there a few parts that were a little confusing and frustrating in the moment…but I would hang in there.
✨What To Expect:
💥Romantasy
⚔️Enemies To Lovers
❤️🔥Eventual Why Choose
🌦️Grumpy/Sunshine
🚪Forced Proximity
🔥Slow Burn
💋Feminine Rage
🩶Morally Grey FMC & MMCs
⁉️Political Intrigue
Evie and Kit clash - I loved their chemistry and the tension between them. There is some great banter and funny moments and I found myself laughing out loud.
Evie has some serious trust issues…and things to work through. She was understandably angry. Did I want to yell at her a few times? Yes I did! But she was on her own schedule…
No spoilers, but there a few parts that were a little confusing and frustrating in the moment…but I would hang in there.
✨What To Expect:
💥Romantasy
⚔️Enemies To Lovers
❤️🔥Eventual Why Choose
🌦️Grumpy/Sunshine
🚪Forced Proximity
🔥Slow Burn
💋Feminine Rage
🩶Morally Grey FMC & MMCs
⁉️Political Intrigue
June 12, 2025
The book wasn’t bad but it wasn’t the best I have read. I gave it 4 stars because the parts that were good and flowed together, were GOOD!!! Parts of the story were a little all over the place. I had to re-read certain parts to try to understand what was happening. It has great potential but I think it needs to give more details on the MFC at the beginning. Once you hit about 70% of the book it really picks up and I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what happened. In saying that, again it was all over the place and I felt the ending needed to slow down a little and maybe even have left on a cliff hanger. Overall, it was a decent read and I am thankful to have read it.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC
June 10, 2025
DNF at 25%
This unfortunately did not hit for me.
Mostly due to the pacing of the story, and the FMC is quite insufferable.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
This unfortunately did not hit for me.
Mostly due to the pacing of the story, and the FMC is quite insufferable.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC.
June 16, 2025
This was a captivating read with a slow burn and stubborn FMC who struggles to discover her hidden identity and protect her estranged brother after their parents are murdered. I’ll definitely be eagerly waiting for the next book!
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Romantasy with spice
-Animal Shapeshifting Magic
-Morally Grey MMC
-Complex World/Universe Building
-Human-Raised Fae FMC
-Fae Politics
-Different Magical Species (Fairies, Spirits, Vampires, etc.)
-Competing Love Interests
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC!!
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Romantasy with spice
-Animal Shapeshifting Magic
-Morally Grey MMC
-Complex World/Universe Building
-Human-Raised Fae FMC
-Fae Politics
-Different Magical Species (Fairies, Spirits, Vampires, etc.)
-Competing Love Interests
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC!!
June 3, 2025
The magic system was very interesting and the world building was done very well! I loved the fmc’s journey and development as the story progresses. I loved a good struggling-to-find-their-place story. This story has great pacing and doesn’t really drag at any points, which is a plus. If you’re looking for monsters, action, and a fun fmc, this should be what you next read! Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC!
June 18, 2025
Firstly, thank you so much to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC of Wildfire by Deb Ellen.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5! Playing devil’s advocates for the .5 deduction: the last chapter pretty much laid out what’s to come in the next book very neatly. I’m more of a cliff-hanger kind of girl personally 🤷🏻♀️
-political intrigue
-elemental magic
-forced proximity
-secret identities
-urban romantasy
Releases June 28th!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5! Playing devil’s advocates for the .5 deduction: the last chapter pretty much laid out what’s to come in the next book very neatly. I’m more of a cliff-hanger kind of girl personally 🤷🏻♀️
-political intrigue
-elemental magic
-forced proximity
-secret identities
-urban romantasy
Releases June 28th!
June 6, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
- Divided Kingdoms & Factions
- Forced Proximity
- Magic Systems
- Morally Grey MMC
- Political Intrigue
- Secret Identities
- Spice & TENSION
I really enjoyed reading this, it defiantly has a different take on the FMC compared to other fantasy books I’ve read. It was refreshing reading her view on things, for someone who’s just learnt on all these new things going on around her, I feel like this is a realistic response many people would actually have. I love the different range characters and their mentality. I was trying to figure them out the whole time, some I was right. Others I’m still questioning.
Just as you feel like you know what is going on, theres twists and turns and the rug is pulled out from underneath you. With medium world building, interesting and diverse characters, action, so many twists my neck hurts, spice and the TENSION.
I spent all my fee time reading this, I couldn’t put it down. I’m excited to see where the story goes next.
Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam @thenerdfam and Deb Ellen for the gifted eARC
🌶️🌶️
- Divided Kingdoms & Factions
- Forced Proximity
- Magic Systems
- Morally Grey MMC
- Political Intrigue
- Secret Identities
- Spice & TENSION
I really enjoyed reading this, it defiantly has a different take on the FMC compared to other fantasy books I’ve read. It was refreshing reading her view on things, for someone who’s just learnt on all these new things going on around her, I feel like this is a realistic response many people would actually have. I love the different range characters and their mentality. I was trying to figure them out the whole time, some I was right. Others I’m still questioning.
Just as you feel like you know what is going on, theres twists and turns and the rug is pulled out from underneath you. With medium world building, interesting and diverse characters, action, so many twists my neck hurts, spice and the TENSION.
I spent all my fee time reading this, I couldn’t put it down. I’m excited to see where the story goes next.
Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam @thenerdfam and Deb Ellen for the gifted eARC
June 10, 2025
huge thank you to the author and to the nerd fam for the opportunity to read an ARC copy of Wildfire!
⭐⭐⭐ [i liked it, i want to read book 2, but i have some thoughts]
🌶️🌶️ [open door, intimate scenes, 1 full s*x scene]
this is the most conflicted i've ever been writing a review tbh.
do you ever read a story where the underlying plot is so good and some of the side characters are really fun and the spice is really well written but EVERYONE ELSE IS JUST THE WORST AND YOU'RE SO CONFUSED???
I absolutely need to caveat the start of this review by saying i liked this book.
I want to read the second book.
But the first 60% of it was very difficult for me to get through because i hated every single character. the FMC has the worst, most petulant, combative personality throughout so much of the book that i wanted to throw it and her across the room. i understand she has trauma and is going through a LOT of shit, but the amount of time spent on willful misunderstandings and back and forth, hot and cold between herself, the MMC and her own brother was mentally exhausting after 250 pages :(
at one point someone tells her something like "have you tried being nice???" and I wanted to scream because, same.
The world seemed like it was incredible. i love stories about fae that actually include fae and different factions and races and not everyone is just 'hot elf' so i was interested in the world and the magic systems that were introduced, but they never really got the spotlight because so much time was spent on the FMC either starting meaningless fights with everyone or trying to escape over and over ;~ ; i was frustrated because i actually loved the world and i felt like i was being kept from it for so long.
in my personal opinion, this book could have benefitted greatly from being dual POV for two reasons. in this story, the FMC, Evie, is essentially our 'camera' or viewpoint into the world and story, which means that if there's action or secrets or things going on that she doesn't see or know? we don't see or know them either, and unfortunately she spends a good portion of this book either locked up in her room, left out, or left in the dark, not knowing what's going on. as a result of this, the reader is also just waiting for most of the book to find out what the story is or else wait for her many many escape attempts just for the 'camera' to let us see the part of the story that's happening while she's meant to be locked up. for me, this lead to feeling as though the escape attempts were just a plot device to let us see other things that were going on rather than feeling more natural for us to discover. every time the MMC, Kit, tells her 'ill tell you later' or 'i can't tell you yet', it leaves us in the dark too. which is fine for a little while, but i spent so much of the book just waiting to hear the plot- WHICH I ACTUALLY LIKED WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT 😭😭😭 dual POV could have given the author an opportunity to give even just a little bit more of the story without making Evie running around blind with us.
there were multiple times i just didn't know what was going on or why. she would be standing in front of a mirror and then suddenly hitting her head on the headboard of the bed, or another character just does something major for seemingly no reason (randomly people just very suddenly boning or grabbing someone and pouring their energy into them and causing a huge issue???? like what??? wtf? 😭)
anyway, that all being said, I loved a lot of the side characters who were introduced towards the end- the people she met around her own age at the lunch that her brother planned, as well as the prisoner from the dungeon. I actually enjoyed the FMC a lot once she chilled out and started acting her age. She was likable and funny and i enjoyed her story and appreciated her struggles a lot more!
the spice scenes, while confusing and seemingly out of nowhere a lot of the time actually saved me from DNFing this book before the 50% mark because i genuinely liked them a lot and felt they were well written, if not extremely frustrating (bro just commit, she is begging you and so are we. also stop referring to her as a child in public and then putting your face between her legs. please.)
The last 25% of the story felt like where the entire book picked up and really had my interest with the political intrigue. i felt the way 'secrets' were handled made me less frustrated and more interested overall. I wished we had gotten a little more about her stay after the final fight- but the epilogue chapter made me really excited for the rest of the story- i would looove to see more POVs in book two. crossing my fingers :)
give me the male yearning.
i'm begging for it.
⭐⭐⭐ [i liked it, i want to read book 2, but i have some thoughts]
🌶️🌶️ [open door, intimate scenes, 1 full s*x scene]
this is the most conflicted i've ever been writing a review tbh.
do you ever read a story where the underlying plot is so good and some of the side characters are really fun and the spice is really well written but EVERYONE ELSE IS JUST THE WORST AND YOU'RE SO CONFUSED???
I absolutely need to caveat the start of this review by saying i liked this book.
I want to read the second book.
But the first 60% of it was very difficult for me to get through because i hated every single character. the FMC has the worst, most petulant, combative personality throughout so much of the book that i wanted to throw it and her across the room. i understand she has trauma and is going through a LOT of shit, but the amount of time spent on willful misunderstandings and back and forth, hot and cold between herself, the MMC and her own brother was mentally exhausting after 250 pages :(
at one point someone tells her something like "have you tried being nice???" and I wanted to scream because, same.
The world seemed like it was incredible. i love stories about fae that actually include fae and different factions and races and not everyone is just 'hot elf' so i was interested in the world and the magic systems that were introduced, but they never really got the spotlight because so much time was spent on the FMC either starting meaningless fights with everyone or trying to escape over and over ;~ ; i was frustrated because i actually loved the world and i felt like i was being kept from it for so long.
in my personal opinion, this book could have benefitted greatly from being dual POV for two reasons. in this story, the FMC, Evie, is essentially our 'camera' or viewpoint into the world and story, which means that if there's action or secrets or things going on that she doesn't see or know? we don't see or know them either, and unfortunately she spends a good portion of this book either locked up in her room, left out, or left in the dark, not knowing what's going on. as a result of this, the reader is also just waiting for most of the book to find out what the story is or else wait for her many many escape attempts just for the 'camera' to let us see the part of the story that's happening while she's meant to be locked up. for me, this lead to feeling as though the escape attempts were just a plot device to let us see other things that were going on rather than feeling more natural for us to discover. every time the MMC, Kit, tells her 'ill tell you later' or 'i can't tell you yet', it leaves us in the dark too. which is fine for a little while, but i spent so much of the book just waiting to hear the plot- WHICH I ACTUALLY LIKED WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT 😭😭😭 dual POV could have given the author an opportunity to give even just a little bit more of the story without making Evie running around blind with us.
there were multiple times i just didn't know what was going on or why. she would be standing in front of a mirror and then suddenly hitting her head on the headboard of the bed, or another character just does something major for seemingly no reason (randomly people just very suddenly boning or grabbing someone and pouring their energy into them and causing a huge issue???? like what??? wtf? 😭)
anyway, that all being said, I loved a lot of the side characters who were introduced towards the end- the people she met around her own age at the lunch that her brother planned, as well as the prisoner from the dungeon. I actually enjoyed the FMC a lot once she chilled out and started acting her age. She was likable and funny and i enjoyed her story and appreciated her struggles a lot more!
the spice scenes, while confusing and seemingly out of nowhere a lot of the time actually saved me from DNFing this book before the 50% mark because i genuinely liked them a lot and felt they were well written, if not extremely frustrating (bro just commit, she is begging you and so are we. also stop referring to her as a child in public and then putting your face between her legs. please.)
The last 25% of the story felt like where the entire book picked up and really had my interest with the political intrigue. i felt the way 'secrets' were handled made me less frustrated and more interested overall. I wished we had gotten a little more about her stay after the final fight- but the epilogue chapter made me really excited for the rest of the story- i would looove to see more POVs in book two. crossing my fingers :)
give me the male yearning.
i'm begging for it.
June 28, 2025
3.25 ***
Thanx to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC for Wildfire!
Off the bat the story leaves you slightly confused as to what exactly is going on. It starts to unfold piece by piece over the course of the book however I had a severe case of whiplash throughout.
The overall concept was good and enveloped things unlike other fantasy stories or at least, ideas not used often such as a sort of "dream world" which is where out FMC starts right from the beginning. There were some twists and turns a few times, but nothing completely unpredictable or shock worthy. The story involves Fae as well as other types of beings which also gave you a sense of "newness" outside of the norm "fae fantasy" which was cool and brought some different magical elements into the mix however, the story often left me feeling confused and questioning.
The initial "love interest" comes on fast and sort of out of nowhere in the sense that the MMC shows zero interest, dislikes her, finds her completely annoying, frustrating & childlike and then suddenly is all over her. From that point on their relationship is a constant hot/cold, off/on, whiplash of events. It seems more that he is addicted to her energy and clinging to the memory of her mother more so than truly interested in her yet he continues his hot/cold dance of wanting her and pushing her away until the last chapter. There are some shadows so to speak around Kit, the MMC, that leaves you somewhat wondering where his true loyalties will fall by the end of this. I did not dislike his character but I will say I am slightly unsure how I feel about him at this point...
The FMC was portrayed for the most part to be lacking in knowledge, abilities, emotional maturity, self confidence, and self control. While the beginning of the story helps you see why, you see very little strong character development in her by the end of the book. She still seems to be wandering, unsure of herself and what she wants, easily lashes out, and seems to put little thought into her actions. I do have hope that her development will really come together in book 2 and hopefully with the help of the second possible MMC Ishmael.
Ishmael.... he's originally introduced as a prisoner of war and gives the impression that he is the enemy. His overall darkness and seemingly knowing demeanor in regards to the FMC and what's really happening in the realms definitely drew me in. I get the impression he will be much more instrumental to not only the overall plot but also the arc of our FMC in the next book and I am definitely interested to see how that plays out. He is painted as one of the bad guys but the ending of the book makes you rethink that. I do believe he will be my favorite... he's definitely giving off potential dark, I want her, will do anything for her, will probably kill you if you touch her, I will be her salvation vibes that I'm hoping we see in the next book.
While this book left me swaying from all the back and forth, I do see potential in the overall plot and direction of the storyline and characters and enjoyed the read nonetheless. I look forward to book 2 as after the ending here, I have to know what happens next!
Thanx to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC for Wildfire!
Off the bat the story leaves you slightly confused as to what exactly is going on. It starts to unfold piece by piece over the course of the book however I had a severe case of whiplash throughout.
The overall concept was good and enveloped things unlike other fantasy stories or at least, ideas not used often such as a sort of "dream world" which is where out FMC starts right from the beginning. There were some twists and turns a few times, but nothing completely unpredictable or shock worthy. The story involves Fae as well as other types of beings which also gave you a sense of "newness" outside of the norm "fae fantasy" which was cool and brought some different magical elements into the mix however, the story often left me feeling confused and questioning.
The initial "love interest" comes on fast and sort of out of nowhere in the sense that the MMC shows zero interest, dislikes her, finds her completely annoying, frustrating & childlike and then suddenly is all over her. From that point on their relationship is a constant hot/cold, off/on, whiplash of events. It seems more that he is addicted to her energy and clinging to the memory of her mother more so than truly interested in her yet he continues his hot/cold dance of wanting her and pushing her away until the last chapter. There are some shadows so to speak around Kit, the MMC, that leaves you somewhat wondering where his true loyalties will fall by the end of this. I did not dislike his character but I will say I am slightly unsure how I feel about him at this point...
The FMC was portrayed for the most part to be lacking in knowledge, abilities, emotional maturity, self confidence, and self control. While the beginning of the story helps you see why, you see very little strong character development in her by the end of the book. She still seems to be wandering, unsure of herself and what she wants, easily lashes out, and seems to put little thought into her actions. I do have hope that her development will really come together in book 2 and hopefully with the help of the second possible MMC Ishmael.
Ishmael.... he's originally introduced as a prisoner of war and gives the impression that he is the enemy. His overall darkness and seemingly knowing demeanor in regards to the FMC and what's really happening in the realms definitely drew me in. I get the impression he will be much more instrumental to not only the overall plot but also the arc of our FMC in the next book and I am definitely interested to see how that plays out. He is painted as one of the bad guys but the ending of the book makes you rethink that. I do believe he will be my favorite... he's definitely giving off potential dark, I want her, will do anything for her, will probably kill you if you touch her, I will be her salvation vibes that I'm hoping we see in the next book.
While this book left me swaying from all the back and forth, I do see potential in the overall plot and direction of the storyline and characters and enjoyed the read nonetheless. I look forward to book 2 as after the ending here, I have to know what happens next!
August 12, 2025
I received a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review, thank you to Deb Ellen and the NerdFam.
CW’s: Violence, gore, grievous bodily injury, sexual content, parental death, parental alienation.
My Rating: 2.75 stars
Okay, from the jump, I was actually engaged. Sure, the formatting was a bit odd on my device, because of how PDF’s show up on Kindle (and allowing the format to be changeable when you upload it to Kindle messes with chapter layouts, whatever).
But formatting issues aside, the book was off to a good start. I liked the writing style, the narration, and the portal fantasy aspect of this book.
I do think there is definitely an aspect of this book that’s corny and clichéd, which, with the genre, is close to being a given.
I think the premise is interesting, and the portal fantasy aspect works nicely. But there isn’t a lot of uniqueness to it. Same old same old of a magical land with fae and other creatures. There wasn’t mich that was new in it. But I think it’s pretty difficult to be original with books anymore.
I do think there’s a unique element with the family dynamic. There’s this estrangement on multiple sides between her and her parents and her and her brother. it added an interesting element and I did feel like it was well done. It does feel like the sibling dynamic was written realistically and by someone who has a sibling or knows how they are.
Again, there is just some cliché aspect of the plot that doesn’t feel super original. And the sex scenes leave a lot to be desired. There’s definitely a compelling aspect to it, but it’s more similar to reality TV or a CW show than anything else. Which doesn’t mean it’s not as addicting, but I do think the quality does match it. And that does match it.
Honestly, the more the book progressed, the less interested I became. It seemed a huge chunk of this book was either sex scenes, Evie arguing with her love interest Kit, a bunch of different people with varying degrees of weird names with little personality. And honestly fairly boring world development. I think this book could have been really good if there had been more fleshing out of the world, the characters, and the plot. I think there was a lot of promise in this book and it just…missed a mark.
But god, I just wanted to shake Evie so bad. I wanted to throttle her. She was just SO stupid and reckless and annoying sometimes. She didn’t make any sense with her decisions half of the time. It was…aggravating.
I also had a hard time seeing the “bad guys” as anything but flat, cartoonish, and one-dimensional. There just wasn’t enough time devoted to development of these characters, the magic system, and the world. And that meant everything suffered and nothing really made complete sense.
It was also just riddled with clichés. This “chosen one” cliché, the super-special-super-gorgeous FMC who has this secret parent no one will tell her about and this great power that no one else has. And no one else is like her. But she’s, like, spunky and feisty too.
Not a bad book, just…disappointing. I feel like it could’ve been so much more.
CW’s: Violence, gore, grievous bodily injury, sexual content, parental death, parental alienation.
My Rating: 2.75 stars
Okay, from the jump, I was actually engaged. Sure, the formatting was a bit odd on my device, because of how PDF’s show up on Kindle (and allowing the format to be changeable when you upload it to Kindle messes with chapter layouts, whatever).
But formatting issues aside, the book was off to a good start. I liked the writing style, the narration, and the portal fantasy aspect of this book.
I do think there is definitely an aspect of this book that’s corny and clichéd, which, with the genre, is close to being a given.
I think the premise is interesting, and the portal fantasy aspect works nicely. But there isn’t a lot of uniqueness to it. Same old same old of a magical land with fae and other creatures. There wasn’t mich that was new in it. But I think it’s pretty difficult to be original with books anymore.
I do think there’s a unique element with the family dynamic. There’s this estrangement on multiple sides between her and her parents and her and her brother. it added an interesting element and I did feel like it was well done. It does feel like the sibling dynamic was written realistically and by someone who has a sibling or knows how they are.
Again, there is just some cliché aspect of the plot that doesn’t feel super original. And the sex scenes leave a lot to be desired. There’s definitely a compelling aspect to it, but it’s more similar to reality TV or a CW show than anything else. Which doesn’t mean it’s not as addicting, but I do think the quality does match it. And that does match it.
Honestly, the more the book progressed, the less interested I became. It seemed a huge chunk of this book was either sex scenes, Evie arguing with her love interest Kit, a bunch of different people with varying degrees of weird names with little personality. And honestly fairly boring world development. I think this book could have been really good if there had been more fleshing out of the world, the characters, and the plot. I think there was a lot of promise in this book and it just…missed a mark.
But god, I just wanted to shake Evie so bad. I wanted to throttle her. She was just SO stupid and reckless and annoying sometimes. She didn’t make any sense with her decisions half of the time. It was…aggravating.
I also had a hard time seeing the “bad guys” as anything but flat, cartoonish, and one-dimensional. There just wasn’t enough time devoted to development of these characters, the magic system, and the world. And that meant everything suffered and nothing really made complete sense.
It was also just riddled with clichés. This “chosen one” cliché, the super-special-super-gorgeous FMC who has this secret parent no one will tell her about and this great power that no one else has. And no one else is like her. But she’s, like, spunky and feisty too.
Not a bad book, just…disappointing. I feel like it could’ve been so much more.
June 22, 2025
Evie and will are being raised in the human realm thinking that they are human. They are in the human realm on the run to keep people finding out about Evie. when their parents are murdered their lives get turn upside down and strange things start to happen. Evie started dreaming about people coming after her in her dreams but she soon figures out is not all what it seems. If the dies in the dream world she would die in the waking world. After a month of fighting off bald men in her dreams she is saved by a handsome stranger Kit. Kit knows Evie as he knew her parents and come to her aid in the human world. Evie’s and will have magic but very different magic to each other wills is more common where Evie’s is not. They are being hunted so kit takes them back to their realm to keep them safe. But all he does is locked her away and keep things from Evie while her brother will has freedoms that’s she does not. He says it’s for her own good and her safety, I know her powers aren’t under control. She needs someone to help her not lock her away. Which leads to Evie being pissed off and sneaking out, to try and find out the truth. But what do they expect her to do when she is locked away from everyone else and is being lied to all the time. I really liked kit up until this point but then his controlling behaviour and manipulation started to annoy me a little bit. Yes I know she fell for it every time and I know she was ment to as she is young and naive.which leads to her doing reckless things to try and find answers but it annoyed me. Ishmael on the other hand I absolutely love him. And I know he tried to kill her the first time they meet but now her knows who and what she is. All he want to do is help her and not lock her away, well maybe he want to do more than help her 😘 wink wink. I love the hate-banter between Evie and Ishmael. I like how she can’t just be good at using her powers like most fantasy books. I like that she can’t control them straight away. I want her to learn to control them for good. She may slip a few times, she is the balance of good and bad after all or so they think. But I can’t wait to see Ishmael help train her, well I hope that’s who helps train her. That’s gonna get steamy and I can’t wait for it. All that tension.
I really enjoyed reading wildfire, its well written. Pacing is good, unique magic and political factions. Hopefully we find out more about them in the next book, which I will definitely be reading. I can’t wait to find out all the new ways Evie gets herself in to reckless situation and how she learns to control her powers.
Thanks to the nerd fam for the arc copy and this review is being left voluntarily and is my honest opinion x
I really enjoyed reading wildfire, its well written. Pacing is good, unique magic and political factions. Hopefully we find out more about them in the next book, which I will definitely be reading. I can’t wait to find out all the new ways Evie gets herself in to reckless situation and how she learns to control her powers.
Thanks to the nerd fam for the arc copy and this review is being left voluntarily and is my honest opinion x
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews