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Illusions of Fire
Every morning Laila Bansal wakes up before dawn—hours before her job at the family winery—and trains in hand-to-hand combat with her adopted aunts who, when not tending to their thriving vineyard, are immortal demons sworn to protect Laila’s mythological bloodline. Despite the whole "descendant of Draupadi" thing, Laila leads a peaceful, protected life. That is until Karan, the mysterious and gorgeous new archer in town, tries to cut off her head. Like Laila, Karan and his family are connected to the world of gods and demons. He's on a mission to save his parents, but with him he brings an influx of immortal beings, and mortal ones—all of whom are ready to, you guessed it, destroy the world.
Nisha Sharma, a life-long paranormal and fantasy fan, finally brings her hilarity and wit to the genre. She grew up being inspired by pop culture touchstones like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Supernatural. Illusions of Fire is her homage to those works—showcasing a powerful female protagonist, with tremendous responsibility and expectations, simply trying to survive while delivering elite one-liners and falling in love with the wrong person.
Nisha Sharma, a life-long paranormal and fantasy fan, finally brings her hilarity and wit to the genre. She grew up being inspired by pop culture touchstones like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Supernatural. Illusions of Fire is her homage to those works—showcasing a powerful female protagonist, with tremendous responsibility and expectations, simply trying to survive while delivering elite one-liners and falling in love with the wrong person.
Audible Audio
First published February 4, 2025
41 people are currently reading
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About the author
Nisha Sharma
16 books2,844 followersNisha Sharma is the critically acclaimed author of YA and adult contemporary romances including My So-Called Bollywood Life, Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance, The Singh Family Trilogy and the If Shakespeare was an Auntie series. Her books have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly and more. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Alaskan husband, her cat Lizzie Bennett and her dog Nancey Drew. You can find her online at Nisha-sharma.com or on TikTok and Instagram @nishawrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
October 12, 2025
The first date between asura/demon hunter MMC, Karan and descendant of demi-goddess Draupadi, FMC, Laila, went great… if you ignore the part where he tried to murder and decapitate her. Minor misunderstanding.
But apart from that, Karan’s a green flag, I promise, and the romance is super cute. What’s awkward, though, is that the first demon Karan ever killed was actually Laila’s beloved rakshasi-aunt… and only the reader knows this, because it’s in the first chapter, told in third person.
Set on a winery in the Finger Lakes, New York, this urban fantasy romance was so fun and action packed. The Buffy meets Percy Jackson with Hindu mythology comparisons are on point except I’d add the caveat that our FMC, Laila drinks more chai (the authentic kind) and throws shade at colonisers. As an Australian belonging to the South Asian diaspora whose ancestors were colonised and had their culture, language and religion systematically stripped away, I found something very satisfying and cathartic in the way this caused me to reflect on history, culture and mythology and invited me to reconnect.
What I found particularly interesting was the commentary and interpretation of the Mahabharata, and the acknowledgement that history is written by the victors. I really appreciated how it reframed Draupadi’s story and explored themes of fate, free will and destiny. Also, just a sidenote… I’d be pretty incensed if as a wife, I was gambled away in a dice game. You’d think at least one of her husbands would’ve said, “hey bro, maybe don’t bet the wife.”
With all the well-deserved attention K-Pop Demon Hunters is getting right now (so happy about that!), I’d say demon hunting is officially having its moment, so if you wanna slake your demon-hunting thirst and learn more about Hindu mythological gods, goddesses, demons and the evil spirits of wronged women, you should definitely read Illusions of Fire.
Thank you so much to NetGalley & Union Square & Co. for the ARC!
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Percy Jackson but make it Hindu mythology.
He’s a descendant of Karna, she’s a daughter of Draupadi. He's meant to kill her but he's simultaneously thirsting after her, lol.
But apart from that, Karan’s a green flag, I promise, and the romance is super cute. What’s awkward, though, is that the first demon Karan ever killed was actually Laila’s beloved rakshasi-aunt… and only the reader knows this, because it’s in the first chapter, told in third person.
Set on a winery in the Finger Lakes, New York, this urban fantasy romance was so fun and action packed. The Buffy meets Percy Jackson with Hindu mythology comparisons are on point except I’d add the caveat that our FMC, Laila drinks more chai (the authentic kind) and throws shade at colonisers. As an Australian belonging to the South Asian diaspora whose ancestors were colonised and had their culture, language and religion systematically stripped away, I found something very satisfying and cathartic in the way this caused me to reflect on history, culture and mythology and invited me to reconnect.
What I found particularly interesting was the commentary and interpretation of the Mahabharata, and the acknowledgement that history is written by the victors. I really appreciated how it reframed Draupadi’s story and explored themes of fate, free will and destiny. Also, just a sidenote… I’d be pretty incensed if as a wife, I was gambled away in a dice game. You’d think at least one of her husbands would’ve said, “hey bro, maybe don’t bet the wife.”
With all the well-deserved attention K-Pop Demon Hunters is getting right now (so happy about that!), I’d say demon hunting is officially having its moment, so if you wanna slake your demon-hunting thirst and learn more about Hindu mythological gods, goddesses, demons and the evil spirits of wronged women, you should definitely read Illusions of Fire.
Thank you so much to NetGalley & Union Square & Co. for the ARC!
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Percy Jackson but make it Hindu mythology.
He’s a descendant of Karna, she’s a daughter of Draupadi. He's meant to kill her but he's simultaneously thirsting after her, lol.
October 20, 2025
1.5 Stars
One Liner: Meh and duh!
Laila Bansal has a different life from her friends. She wakes up early to train in hand-to-hand combat with her aunts, who are actually rakshashis sworn to protect her. Being born into a mythical lineage infused with magic, Krishna’s secrets make her a special case, even if Laila leads a peaceful life on the outside.
Karan, a new boy who arrives in her town, upstate New York, seeks her immediately. Turns out, Karan is a descendant of a demigod and traces his roots back to the Mahabharata times, like Laila. With magical powers being activated and dark forces converging, it appears that things are heading for another battle!
The story comes in Laila and Karan’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
Hindu epic-based stories are a hit or a miss for me (most often, they miss and result in a long rant). This book is no different.
Throughout the book, I had to remind myself that I am not the target audience (region-wise and age-wise). Still, I can’t help but wonder: how many with no idea about the Mahabharata would connect with the story?
The idea has merit. The execution and writing style don’t. The execution is patchy and uneven, riddled with repetitions, inconsistencies, and contradictions (example: the FMC is mentioned to be a vegetarian who later eats a cracker with cheese and prosciutto). The writing style and dialogue are choppy, cringey, and off. The action scenes are decent, which is a relief.
And please, can we not have nicknames like Boo for humans? Given the number of times it is mentioned (164), I have to add this to the list of tortures.
The tone is careless. Sure, it suits how the YA age group speaks. However, that doesn’t change the fact that there’s a near-constant undercurrent of hate and bias against the epic. It’s not amusing to read misinterpretations as random statements flung at readers. It also creates false impressions in people who don’t bother to learn more.
Another issue is how Draupadi is reduced to a vengeful woman. While I understand that ‘feminist rage’ gives many readers a high, Draupadi is much more complex and layered than an insulted empress wanting revenge. At the same time, the implication that Karna was better-suited as her husband than the Pandavas is so, so annoying!
Imagine this:
A 38-year-old man with two+ wives and a couple of sons (if not more) attends the swayamwara of an 18-year-old. He tries but fails at the contest. When a 24-year-old wins the contest, this man, along with the other participants, attacks the winner. A few years later, he abuses the same woman for marrying five men and calls her a harlot. In many instances, he degrades women as inferior and says those who have more freedom are characterless.
In which feminist universe does such a man become a hero? In ours, apparently! Ravana, Karna, etc., older men known for their misogyny (and perverted nature), are treated as heroes by some so-called feminists just because they hate their counterparts (Rama or the Pandavas).
While I don’t mind creative liberties, I do like for them to make sense.
Another example is the angalikastra. Firstly, it is anjalikastra (ja not ga). Secondly, it’s not a special weapon created by Indra, nor does it resemble a sickle or a curved dagger. In fact, the astra doesn’t have a form. It is a mantra used to invoke the relevant force/ power and channelled through another physical object. Also, Arjuna was an archer. He shot an arrow. Didn’t even get down from his chariot. Furthermore, anjalikastra is one of the basic astras. The clue is in the name – anjali (to say namaste). So, Arjuna actually used the most common astra to kill Karna in Kurukshetra, except that he charged it with intention (saying that if his devotion to his gurus was true, the arrow would eliminate the target). To simplify everything, what killed Karna was the truth of Arjuna’s devotion to his gurus.
The book has an open ending, indicating that there will be a sequel at least. Will I read it? I don’t think so!
The author’s note is interesting. In a way, I empathize with her attempts to find a publisher. She presents a glimpse of how the publishing industry works. At the same time, I also see why the story ended up the way it is.
To summarize, Illusions of Fire has an interesting premise, but the execution, characterization, and everything don’t work for me. It might work for the western audience if they go with the flow. Rounding up to two stars for the fab cover.
Thank you, NetGalley and Union Square & Co., for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #IllusionsOfFire
One Liner: Meh and duh!
Laila Bansal has a different life from her friends. She wakes up early to train in hand-to-hand combat with her aunts, who are actually rakshashis sworn to protect her. Being born into a mythical lineage infused with magic, Krishna’s secrets make her a special case, even if Laila leads a peaceful life on the outside.
Karan, a new boy who arrives in her town, upstate New York, seeks her immediately. Turns out, Karan is a descendant of a demigod and traces his roots back to the Mahabharata times, like Laila. With magical powers being activated and dark forces converging, it appears that things are heading for another battle!
The story comes in Laila and Karan’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
Hindu epic-based stories are a hit or a miss for me (most often, they miss and result in a long rant). This book is no different.
Throughout the book, I had to remind myself that I am not the target audience (region-wise and age-wise). Still, I can’t help but wonder: how many with no idea about the Mahabharata would connect with the story?
The idea has merit. The execution and writing style don’t. The execution is patchy and uneven, riddled with repetitions, inconsistencies, and contradictions (example: the FMC is mentioned to be a vegetarian who later eats a cracker with cheese and prosciutto). The writing style and dialogue are choppy, cringey, and off. The action scenes are decent, which is a relief.
And please, can we not have nicknames like Boo for humans? Given the number of times it is mentioned (164), I have to add this to the list of tortures.
The tone is careless. Sure, it suits how the YA age group speaks. However, that doesn’t change the fact that there’s a near-constant undercurrent of hate and bias against the epic. It’s not amusing to read misinterpretations as random statements flung at readers. It also creates false impressions in people who don’t bother to learn more.
Another issue is how Draupadi is reduced to a vengeful woman. While I understand that ‘feminist rage’ gives many readers a high, Draupadi is much more complex and layered than an insulted empress wanting revenge. At the same time, the implication that Karna was better-suited as her husband than the Pandavas is so, so annoying!
Imagine this:
A 38-year-old man with two+ wives and a couple of sons (if not more) attends the swayamwara of an 18-year-old. He tries but fails at the contest. When a 24-year-old wins the contest, this man, along with the other participants, attacks the winner. A few years later, he abuses the same woman for marrying five men and calls her a harlot. In many instances, he degrades women as inferior and says those who have more freedom are characterless.
In which feminist universe does such a man become a hero? In ours, apparently! Ravana, Karna, etc., older men known for their misogyny (and perverted nature), are treated as heroes by some so-called feminists just because they hate their counterparts (Rama or the Pandavas).
While I don’t mind creative liberties, I do like for them to make sense.
Another example is the angalikastra. Firstly, it is anjalikastra (ja not ga). Secondly, it’s not a special weapon created by Indra, nor does it resemble a sickle or a curved dagger. In fact, the astra doesn’t have a form. It is a mantra used to invoke the relevant force/ power and channelled through another physical object. Also, Arjuna was an archer. He shot an arrow. Didn’t even get down from his chariot. Furthermore, anjalikastra is one of the basic astras. The clue is in the name – anjali (to say namaste). So, Arjuna actually used the most common astra to kill Karna in Kurukshetra, except that he charged it with intention (saying that if his devotion to his gurus was true, the arrow would eliminate the target). To simplify everything, what killed Karna was the truth of Arjuna’s devotion to his gurus.
The book has an open ending, indicating that there will be a sequel at least. Will I read it? I don’t think so!
The author’s note is interesting. In a way, I empathize with her attempts to find a publisher. She presents a glimpse of how the publishing industry works. At the same time, I also see why the story ended up the way it is.
To summarize, Illusions of Fire has an interesting premise, but the execution, characterization, and everything don’t work for me. It might work for the western audience if they go with the flow. Rounding up to two stars for the fab cover.
Thank you, NetGalley and Union Square & Co., for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #IllusionsOfFire
October 28, 2025
4.25 ★— And I had a blast with this one! Recent YA has been largely disappointing for me, so finding a story like this felt like such a refreshing detour.
Laila Bansal has just graduated high school, and while everyone around her seems to be moving forward, she feels stuck. As the heir of a magical bloodline with fire powers to boot, she’s been trained to protect herself her whole life, but is bound to stay where she is, living with her demon-aunts who have been tasked to protect her, taking online classes, and helping out at their vineyard. Everything changes, though, when she meets a handsome new stranger named Ahvi, who’s not at all what he seems.
Laila is such a fun main character! Trained her whole life, she’s competent and confident, yet frustrated by how stagnant her life feels. Her internal monologue is very funny, and she’s cautious and smart in ways that show how deeply she’s been prepared for danger.
Then we meet Ahvi, the second POV character. His story runs parallel to Laila’s, as he too has been trained his whole life, but his purpose is very different. He was raised to hunt and kill demons, a mission that inevitably brings him face-to-face with Laila.
Their romance isn’t a slow burn at all, but it really works here. Their attraction arises quickly, and while they clash when their true roles come to light, they find their way to a more understanding and supportive dynamic that I really enjoyed watching unfold! I really loved how they became each other’s anchor through the chaos, though I did think a tiny bit more buildup before their relationship deepened would’ve been nice, their chemistry still felt genuine and earned.
The worldbuilding, though, was one of my favourite parts! The author managed to beautifully imbue different Indian mythology and stories into the book, which made the world feel rich and gorgeously engaging. The different bloodlines, ancient families and rituals that the book mentioned and harkened back to were fascinating and just made me want to know more about this world.
By the end, there’s still so much left unresolved, which only makes me more eager for the sequel. I can’t wait to see where Laila’s and Ahvi's stories take them next AND I’m officially hooked!
Laila Bansal has just graduated high school, and while everyone around her seems to be moving forward, she feels stuck. As the heir of a magical bloodline with fire powers to boot, she’s been trained to protect herself her whole life, but is bound to stay where she is, living with her demon-aunts who have been tasked to protect her, taking online classes, and helping out at their vineyard. Everything changes, though, when she meets a handsome new stranger named Ahvi, who’s not at all what he seems.
Laila is such a fun main character! Trained her whole life, she’s competent and confident, yet frustrated by how stagnant her life feels. Her internal monologue is very funny, and she’s cautious and smart in ways that show how deeply she’s been prepared for danger.
Then we meet Ahvi, the second POV character. His story runs parallel to Laila’s, as he too has been trained his whole life, but his purpose is very different. He was raised to hunt and kill demons, a mission that inevitably brings him face-to-face with Laila.
Their romance isn’t a slow burn at all, but it really works here. Their attraction arises quickly, and while they clash when their true roles come to light, they find their way to a more understanding and supportive dynamic that I really enjoyed watching unfold! I really loved how they became each other’s anchor through the chaos, though I did think a tiny bit more buildup before their relationship deepened would’ve been nice, their chemistry still felt genuine and earned.
The worldbuilding, though, was one of my favourite parts! The author managed to beautifully imbue different Indian mythology and stories into the book, which made the world feel rich and gorgeously engaging. The different bloodlines, ancient families and rituals that the book mentioned and harkened back to were fascinating and just made me want to know more about this world.
By the end, there’s still so much left unresolved, which only makes me more eager for the sequel. I can’t wait to see where Laila’s and Ahvi's stories take them next AND I’m officially hooked!
December 8, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
Buffy meets a more mature, South Asian Percy Jackson!
Illusions of Fire is a cool YA fantasy romance following the descendants of Hindu gods and divine figures. Laila has been raised by a gaggle of women who are really a kind of demon, and everyday she trains for combat to stay safe and fulfill her destiny.
Ahvi has been raised to hunt demons and protect the balance of good and evil in the world. When he's sent on a mission to hunt down a supposed asana (demon) he finds Laila instead. And their meeting was never supposed to happen...
Both of them are the descendants of figures from the Mahabarata and there is evil coming for them. But also the sparks between them are undeniable.
While this gets a bit dark at times (people die, there's a creepy guy planning sexual assault etc.) overall I found it to be really fun and it draws on interesting mythology. I've enjoyed other books by Nisha in the past and this is something different, but really great. You should have it on your radar! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Buffy meets a more mature, South Asian Percy Jackson!
Illusions of Fire is a cool YA fantasy romance following the descendants of Hindu gods and divine figures. Laila has been raised by a gaggle of women who are really a kind of demon, and everyday she trains for combat to stay safe and fulfill her destiny.
Ahvi has been raised to hunt demons and protect the balance of good and evil in the world. When he's sent on a mission to hunt down a supposed asana (demon) he finds Laila instead. And their meeting was never supposed to happen...
Both of them are the descendants of figures from the Mahabarata and there is evil coming for them. But also the sparks between them are undeniable.
While this gets a bit dark at times (people die, there's a creepy guy planning sexual assault etc.) overall I found it to be really fun and it draws on interesting mythology. I've enjoyed other books by Nisha in the past and this is something different, but really great. You should have it on your radar! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
September 20, 2025
Hi Friends!
I wanted to share some information that might help in your reading experience.
If you felt a little lost with the mythology, I created a "Mythology Guide" which has basic information to help orient you with the backstory. Although I believe that readers should be able to look up information that they don't understand, I get it that there is A LOT here and you may not know where to start. Hopefully this helps. https://nisha-sharma.com/books/young-...
Secondly, I shared this widely when we announced the book and I wrote it in a note in the text itself, but for clarification, this is a South Asian diaspora narrative. South Asian because, although the Mahabharata is an epic that originates in Ancient India, some of the descriptions of monsters and things that go bump in the night are from regional interpretations of myth (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan to name a few). I consulted with a few theologians who made this suggestion. And Diaspora, because I am an Indian diaspora author writing stories specifically from and about the diaspora experience. If your gut reaction is "this is Indian and it should take place in India" then I ask if you feel the same way about books like Percy Jackson and Greek mythology. Just because stories take place in the diaspora, doesn't mean that they are invalid or whyte washed. To write diaspora stories means borrowing from tri and bi cultural experiences and to claim whyte washing is to not only dismiss diaspora communities, but it is to also take a alt-right purist position about mythology that started as oral and currently has over 1,000 interpretations. It's incredibly problematic and divisive.
Last but not least! I know there are only a few of us. A few South Asian authors writing South Asian paranormal or fantasy romance. There are even fewer that are tackling myth and story in a way that is specifically for diaspora communities. If you liked this book, I encourage you to go and show more South Asian authors some love. It's important that we cultivate as many interpretations and entry points to our stories so that everyone feels like they can be represented and they get the type of representation they're looking for. I can't be that for everyone, but with noise from readers, we can ask for more and hopefully we'll make room for new authors to join in and create nuanced unique narratives to enjoy.
I wanted to share some information that might help in your reading experience.
If you felt a little lost with the mythology, I created a "Mythology Guide" which has basic information to help orient you with the backstory. Although I believe that readers should be able to look up information that they don't understand, I get it that there is A LOT here and you may not know where to start. Hopefully this helps. https://nisha-sharma.com/books/young-...
Secondly, I shared this widely when we announced the book and I wrote it in a note in the text itself, but for clarification, this is a South Asian diaspora narrative. South Asian because, although the Mahabharata is an epic that originates in Ancient India, some of the descriptions of monsters and things that go bump in the night are from regional interpretations of myth (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan to name a few). I consulted with a few theologians who made this suggestion. And Diaspora, because I am an Indian diaspora author writing stories specifically from and about the diaspora experience. If your gut reaction is "this is Indian and it should take place in India" then I ask if you feel the same way about books like Percy Jackson and Greek mythology. Just because stories take place in the diaspora, doesn't mean that they are invalid or whyte washed. To write diaspora stories means borrowing from tri and bi cultural experiences and to claim whyte washing is to not only dismiss diaspora communities, but it is to also take a alt-right purist position about mythology that started as oral and currently has over 1,000 interpretations. It's incredibly problematic and divisive.
Last but not least! I know there are only a few of us. A few South Asian authors writing South Asian paranormal or fantasy romance. There are even fewer that are tackling myth and story in a way that is specifically for diaspora communities. If you liked this book, I encourage you to go and show more South Asian authors some love. It's important that we cultivate as many interpretations and entry points to our stories so that everyone feels like they can be represented and they get the type of representation they're looking for. I can't be that for everyone, but with noise from readers, we can ask for more and hopefully we'll make room for new authors to join in and create nuanced unique narratives to enjoy.
October 6, 2025
“You are in my woods, little boy. Leave or I’ ll tear open your belly and suck the meat off your bones.”
“There isn’t much there,” he said loudly into the forest. “I work out with my dad.”
YA urban fantasy with hindu mythology meets buffy the vampire hunter, this was a funny, fast fantasy read with lovable characters, intriguing lore, and a promise for more of this world.
the mythology is sprinkled throughout so there's never any overwhelming information overload. the lines of witch x demon x descendant can be a bit muddled, but honestly i was down for the ride.
as a descendant of the god of fire, laila has magical fire abilities and has been guarded by her aunts who were blessed by the gods w immortality as rakshasi demons to help protect her to continue their lineage that protects the fate of the world. i did kind of dislike the whole "womanmother" idea, but divine birth control? sign me up lol. also love the power of feminine rage manifested into fire 🔥
laila and ahvi move fairly quickly from enemies into allies and build trust quickly due to circumstance, but it never felt too forced for me. i also loved having boo around, she was such a great character and all three characters had a good sense of humor.
“What you’re telling me is that you’re a supernatural ghost hunter without a job,” she taunted. “Boy, do I know how to pick’ em.”
“Aren’t you too young to be drinking coffee? Doesn’t it impact your brain development or something at your age?”
“God, I hope so. Being this smart makes everyone else seem boring,”
“This is the best invention that humanity has made,” they said, their voice deep and amused as they tossed another Cheeto in their mouth.
Live for me, she pleaded. Live long enough so I can kick your ass myself.
i was able to read this one really quickly and the end has me intrigued for more of this world 👀
an honest arc review ♡
“There isn’t much there,” he said loudly into the forest. “I work out with my dad.”
YA urban fantasy with hindu mythology meets buffy the vampire hunter, this was a funny, fast fantasy read with lovable characters, intriguing lore, and a promise for more of this world.
the mythology is sprinkled throughout so there's never any overwhelming information overload. the lines of witch x demon x descendant can be a bit muddled, but honestly i was down for the ride.
as a descendant of the god of fire, laila has magical fire abilities and has been guarded by her aunts who were blessed by the gods w immortality as rakshasi demons to help protect her to continue their lineage that protects the fate of the world. i did kind of dislike the whole "womanmother" idea, but divine birth control? sign me up lol. also love the power of feminine rage manifested into fire 🔥
laila and ahvi move fairly quickly from enemies into allies and build trust quickly due to circumstance, but it never felt too forced for me. i also loved having boo around, she was such a great character and all three characters had a good sense of humor.
“What you’re telling me is that you’re a supernatural ghost hunter without a job,” she taunted. “Boy, do I know how to pick’ em.”
“Aren’t you too young to be drinking coffee? Doesn’t it impact your brain development or something at your age?”
“God, I hope so. Being this smart makes everyone else seem boring,”
“This is the best invention that humanity has made,” they said, their voice deep and amused as they tossed another Cheeto in their mouth.
Live for me, she pleaded. Live long enough so I can kick your ass myself.
i was able to read this one really quickly and the end has me intrigued for more of this world 👀
an honest arc review ♡
February 23, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square& Co. for access to this title. I am auto-approved by the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
3.5 stars
What It's About: Every morning Laila Bansal wakes up before dawn—hours before her job at the family winery—and trains in hand-to-hand combat with her adopted aunts who, when not tending to their thriving vineyard, are immortal demons sworn to protect Laila’s mythological bloodline. Despite the whole "descendant of Draupadi" thing, Laila leads a peaceful, protected life. That is until Karan, the mysterious and gorgeous new archer in town, tries to cut off her head. Like Laila, Karan and his family are connected to the world of gods and demons. He's on a mission to save his parents, but with him, he brings an influx of immortal beings, and mortal ones—all of whom are ready to, you guessed it, destroy the world.
Okay, I know my Goodreads friends will be asking " Why did you post the whole synopsis?" Well, I do this because my book isn't set for publication until October. Second, I may not be able to fully explain it without forgetting major details.
Read this if you like...
✅Fierce female protagonists that can kick ass
✅Books where the Female and Male Protagonists take turns narrating chapters
✅Action scenes that are fairly balanced with family drama and a little romance.
✅An author fought hard( for years) to bring this urban fantasy novel to life. We owe it to Nisha Sharma and all the people in her corner to read it. 😉
Let's hype this up!
Expected Publication Date 07/10/25
Goodreads Review Date 22/02/25
3.5 stars
What It's About: Every morning Laila Bansal wakes up before dawn—hours before her job at the family winery—and trains in hand-to-hand combat with her adopted aunts who, when not tending to their thriving vineyard, are immortal demons sworn to protect Laila’s mythological bloodline. Despite the whole "descendant of Draupadi" thing, Laila leads a peaceful, protected life. That is until Karan, the mysterious and gorgeous new archer in town, tries to cut off her head. Like Laila, Karan and his family are connected to the world of gods and demons. He's on a mission to save his parents, but with him, he brings an influx of immortal beings, and mortal ones—all of whom are ready to, you guessed it, destroy the world.
Okay, I know my Goodreads friends will be asking " Why did you post the whole synopsis?" Well, I do this because my book isn't set for publication until October. Second, I may not be able to fully explain it without forgetting major details.
Read this if you like...
✅Fierce female protagonists that can kick ass
✅Books where the Female and Male Protagonists take turns narrating chapters
✅Action scenes that are fairly balanced with family drama and a little romance.
✅An author fought hard( for years) to bring this urban fantasy novel to life. We owe it to Nisha Sharma and all the people in her corner to read it. 😉
Let's hype this up!
Expected Publication Date 07/10/25
Goodreads Review Date 22/02/25
July 2, 2025
DNF @60%
Sadly, I don’t think this book is for me—at least not right now.
First of all, I really struggled with the mythology. It just wasn’t explained clearly enough. I’ve read Indian rep before and really enjoyed it, but with this book, I just didn’t understand what was going on.
From what I think I gathered: he’s some sort of witch hunter, she’s not a witch or a demon but a human with powers, and she’s the daughter of Draupadi (who, honestly, I don’t know much about). They’re supposed to be soulmates or fated mates? That’s about all I could make sense of.
Maybe if the mythology had been introduced more gradually or explained better, I would’ve loved it. So for now, it’s a soft DNF—I might come back to it later when I’m in the right headspace.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Huge thanks to Netgalley and Union Square & Co. For approving my request for the eARC 🫶🏻
Sadly, I don’t think this book is for me—at least not right now.
First of all, I really struggled with the mythology. It just wasn’t explained clearly enough. I’ve read Indian rep before and really enjoyed it, but with this book, I just didn’t understand what was going on.
From what I think I gathered: he’s some sort of witch hunter, she’s not a witch or a demon but a human with powers, and she’s the daughter of Draupadi (who, honestly, I don’t know much about). They’re supposed to be soulmates or fated mates? That’s about all I could make sense of.
Maybe if the mythology had been introduced more gradually or explained better, I would’ve loved it. So for now, it’s a soft DNF—I might come back to it later when I’m in the right headspace.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Huge thanks to Netgalley and Union Square & Co. For approving my request for the eARC 🫶🏻
did-not-finish
February 1, 2025DNF at 40%. Just wasn’t connecting to the characters
This sounds so exciting! Thanks Union & co, and NetGalley for the arc
September 10, 2025
Illusions of Fire
by Nisha Sharma
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Oct 7, 2025
Union Square & Co.
Ages: 14+
Laila is a descendant of Draupadi and is protected by her immortal aunts. Karan is a descendant of hunters who kills immortal beings that want to destroy the world, and Laila is his next target. But upon their first encounter, when they shook hands, they both felt magic between them.
During their second meeting, failing to cut off her head, he realizes Laila isn't the monster he was sent to kill, but their meeting thins the veil, and evil immortal beings are coming after them.
But there is also evil in mortals.
This was a unique story, the setting on a family winery, which I wish there had been more about that setting, because it is a different place than the typical YA story. And Laila's aunts were important to her, but weren't described in a way that made them feel that way.
The same could be said about Karan's parents; they were missing, and that was why he was sent to kill her, but the way his parents were described made them seem like an afterthought.
I did like the story, and it moved at a good pace. The characters, except for the ones mentioned and his uncle, were thought out and, while typical of YA characters, they did have their uniqueness, which I feel should've been described more often.
And while the story ended, it was left open for another book(s), but spoilers.... linked... spoilers.... but I can guess where it's going to go, and even though I liked this one, I doubt I'll read another.
3 Stars
by Nisha Sharma
YA Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Oct 7, 2025
Union Square & Co.
Ages: 14+
Laila is a descendant of Draupadi and is protected by her immortal aunts. Karan is a descendant of hunters who kills immortal beings that want to destroy the world, and Laila is his next target. But upon their first encounter, when they shook hands, they both felt magic between them.
During their second meeting, failing to cut off her head, he realizes Laila isn't the monster he was sent to kill, but their meeting thins the veil, and evil immortal beings are coming after them.
But there is also evil in mortals.
This was a unique story, the setting on a family winery, which I wish there had been more about that setting, because it is a different place than the typical YA story. And Laila's aunts were important to her, but weren't described in a way that made them feel that way.
The same could be said about Karan's parents; they were missing, and that was why he was sent to kill her, but the way his parents were described made them seem like an afterthought.
I did like the story, and it moved at a good pace. The characters, except for the ones mentioned and his uncle, were thought out and, while typical of YA characters, they did have their uniqueness, which I feel should've been described more often.
And while the story ended, it was left open for another book(s), but spoilers.... linked... spoilers.... but I can guess where it's going to go, and even though I liked this one, I doubt I'll read another.
3 Stars
Want to read
January 4, 2025pre-review:
another day, another arc approved for 2 straight days 🤩
at least the synopsis got me interested 🤭
thank you to netgalley and union square & co. for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
another day, another arc approved for 2 straight days 🤩
at least the synopsis got me interested 🤭
thank you to netgalley and union square & co. for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
November 14, 2024
“Egypt had Cleopatra”…"Greece had Helen of Troy. And India had Draupadi. Know how powerful you are”.
Many readers know Nisha Sharma for her romance novels, but in Illusions of Fire? She’s incendiary. Pardon the fire pun, but it just works so well in this scenario. This book is just badass goodness. For majority of the book we follow Karan and Laila, and the duo are dealing with an indescribable bond while also fighting off some unsavoury mythological creatures and an icky villain (seriously a major creep). Throw in some eccentric Massi's, skilled sidekicks, and meddling gods and you're in for a treat. Gopal and Boo, I know everyone's going to LOVE them.
Ever since I read Percy Jackson as a kid, I always wondered if an author would ever dive into the stories I heard and learned growing up. Illusions of Fire is rooted in Hindu mythology and I’m so glad authors are exploring stories and sharing them with audiences. It stuns me that Nisha just gets it. She’s finding those gaps that readers of colour have been yearning for, and then just causally writes an amazing book. It’s something l’ll never get tired of no matter what.
Yes, this is a high energy book. But I like the little details. The Jasmine and incense scents, the chai machine, the slight crunch of an onion ring...sometimes I need the sensory descriptions in novels to ground me. It’s a balance that Nisha does perfectly. Overall, I know this book is going to connect massively with readers. The best part? We’re off to more adventures, and I can’t wait.
Throwing in one more quote that I loved “history is written by the victor. Interpretations have truth because they’re written by the quietest characters, right?”
Thank you so much Union Square & Co and NetGalley for the ARC. Out in February 2025 you don’t want to miss this.
Many readers know Nisha Sharma for her romance novels, but in Illusions of Fire? She’s incendiary. Pardon the fire pun, but it just works so well in this scenario. This book is just badass goodness. For majority of the book we follow Karan and Laila, and the duo are dealing with an indescribable bond while also fighting off some unsavoury mythological creatures and an icky villain (seriously a major creep). Throw in some eccentric Massi's, skilled sidekicks, and meddling gods and you're in for a treat. Gopal and Boo, I know everyone's going to LOVE them.
Ever since I read Percy Jackson as a kid, I always wondered if an author would ever dive into the stories I heard and learned growing up. Illusions of Fire is rooted in Hindu mythology and I’m so glad authors are exploring stories and sharing them with audiences. It stuns me that Nisha just gets it. She’s finding those gaps that readers of colour have been yearning for, and then just causally writes an amazing book. It’s something l’ll never get tired of no matter what.
Yes, this is a high energy book. But I like the little details. The Jasmine and incense scents, the chai machine, the slight crunch of an onion ring...sometimes I need the sensory descriptions in novels to ground me. It’s a balance that Nisha does perfectly. Overall, I know this book is going to connect massively with readers. The best part? We’re off to more adventures, and I can’t wait.
Throwing in one more quote that I loved “history is written by the victor. Interpretations have truth because they’re written by the quietest characters, right?”
Thank you so much Union Square & Co and NetGalley for the ARC. Out in February 2025 you don’t want to miss this.
June 1, 2025
As a huge fan of Buffy and Supernatural this book was everything I wanted in a modern fantasy. Laila is a girl raised for a divine purpose-to save the world. Karan is also raised to battle evil and protect humans but from across the world and never to cross paths with Laila. However, he is looking for his missing parents and he believes Laila is the key to finding them. He just has to kill her. So begins his journey to Rochester, NY, of all places. There is some deep lore into Indian religious text and mythology that was beautiful. The good guys and the bad guys were complex and multi-faceted. I had some sympathy for a few of the demons. Scorned woman turned man eater?..she’s my friend. I loved Laila and Karan’s initial rivalry and their battles. I loved their connection and how it develops into something romantic. The introduction of surprise characters was very interesting and I am excited to see how this series develops. This story can be standalone but I want more and Nisha Sharma better get approval for more books. I will riot if not. This story was so unique and special. It was even a bit dark. I have to say the mention of the Kerala fighting style made me scream. I’m from Kerala and this was a deep cut that I LOVED. This is a YA book so there is only closed door spice. It’s totally appropriate for teens and up and I would have ate this up back then. I mean, I ate this up in one day today as a grown woman. A new favorite for sure.
Want to read
November 6, 2023this cover is fire 🔥
August 4, 2025
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
I had so much fun with this book! It was like a lovechild between Percy Jackson (with Hindu gods) and Buffy, done in a really refreshing way. There was action, there was romance, there were hidden libraries and rakshasa aunties and a secret guardian angel who just happens to ride a motorcycle. I highly recommend!
I had so much fun with this book! It was like a lovechild between Percy Jackson (with Hindu gods) and Buffy, done in a really refreshing way. There was action, there was romance, there were hidden libraries and rakshasa aunties and a secret guardian angel who just happens to ride a motorcycle. I highly recommend!
December 18, 2024
Thank you so much to Union Square & Co. for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Illusions of Fire is a banger of a fantasy romance novel from Nisha Sharma! Of course, Nisha kills it when it comes to contemporary romance, but this book convinced me even further that she's all-around a fantastic writer. The fantasy elements of this novel were written so well! Illusions of Fire is set on our contemporary world, but includes various magical creatures, legends, and lore from Hinduism. This book really reminded me of the magic and spunk of the 90's teen supernatural shows and movies like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Practical Magic, and Charmed. In these shows, you always have the teen main characters running around their town and fighting monsters and dem0ns at every corner, like a ghost child appearing in your locker room. (These types of scenes were so creepy and I found myself actually getting scared.) Then of course, the main characters are pressured to save the world without any adult supervision. I loved following Laila, Karan, and Boo as they plotted to stop Karan's uncle.
My favorite aspect of this book was the integration of Hindu creatures, gods, and legends into the story. It was done so seamlessly, and it made the fantasy world even more interesting for me as a Hindu reader. I've always read and watched media with contemporary fantasy worlds with western mythical creatures, so Illusions of Fire was very refreshing to read about.
Overall, I think YA fantasy lovers and fans of Nisha's previous works will definitely enjoy Illusions of Fire! (If you were a fan of the aunties in the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series, get ready for Laila's aunties in this book LOL.) I'd rate this book 4.5 stars rounded up!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
Illusions of Fire is a banger of a fantasy romance novel from Nisha Sharma! Of course, Nisha kills it when it comes to contemporary romance, but this book convinced me even further that she's all-around a fantastic writer. The fantasy elements of this novel were written so well! Illusions of Fire is set on our contemporary world, but includes various magical creatures, legends, and lore from Hinduism. This book really reminded me of the magic and spunk of the 90's teen supernatural shows and movies like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Practical Magic, and Charmed. In these shows, you always have the teen main characters running around their town and fighting monsters and dem0ns at every corner, like a ghost child appearing in your locker room. (These types of scenes were so creepy and I found myself actually getting scared.) Then of course, the main characters are pressured to save the world without any adult supervision. I loved following Laila, Karan, and Boo as they plotted to stop Karan's uncle.
My favorite aspect of this book was the integration of Hindu creatures, gods, and legends into the story. It was done so seamlessly, and it made the fantasy world even more interesting for me as a Hindu reader. I've always read and watched media with contemporary fantasy worlds with western mythical creatures, so Illusions of Fire was very refreshing to read about.
Overall, I think YA fantasy lovers and fans of Nisha's previous works will definitely enjoy Illusions of Fire! (If you were a fan of the aunties in the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series, get ready for Laila's aunties in this book LOL.) I'd rate this book 4.5 stars rounded up!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
November 6, 2025
fantastic!!! this was so fun, moved very quickly, and i was dying to know what was going to happen and how it would all unfurl. i loved the character dynamics and i'm so excited to see where this goes
February 9, 2025
⋆⋆⋆½ — okay mostly, but i did have some issues with the writing and parts of the ending. and the romance. god, i hate these ya males every single time.
so i loved laila. most of the time. she's funny, powerful, can take of herself, fights back against karan when he's being useless. usually. and it's the usually i have a problem with. i hate when character development goes down the drain for romantic progress. he does something horrific at the beginning of the book, she finds out almost near the end, and then she forgives him... almost immediately. it's aggravating. we barely get a confrontation. i know it was very close to the end, but we could have maybe dragged this into the second book? or revealed it earlier so they could actually work through it? this is always a thing in enemies to lovers novels: the male lead does something heinous, and the female lead—who is supposedly powerful and self-respecting—forgives him two pages later because she's in lurve. enough. as for the other characters, i love badhuri (i am not calling anyone boo. no). i always love the guy in the chair characters, and she was no different. gopal was also brilliant, an even funnier apollo from percy jackson. the aunts weren't there enough for me to care either way, but their love for laila was truly real and vivid. as for karan, the less said about him, the better. laila should have been gay or in love with gopal. it doesn't go with the mythology, but it goes with common sense.
i'm desi, but not hindu, so i wasn't familiar with most of the mythology, but everything was depicted in an easy to follow manner. the plot is more things happening to the protagonists and them trying to fight back, rather than them actively advancing the storyline, but even while i was bored with that aspect, the mythology always drew me in.
as for the actual story, it was interesting up to the middle, and then it became a romance in a fantasy wig. the blurb indicates a balance between the two, but it's just mostly romance. the antagonist, his reveal, his motivations, everything was dull. i mean, a desi man being hyperobsessed with progeny and going as far as sexual assault to fulfill his desires is realistic, sure, but nothing at the end lived up to world-ending hype of everything that occurred before.
next, the writing. i don't really want to call it mediocre, but unfortunately, it's more than awkward at times. you can very much tell this is a romcom author's first foray into fantasy. and i don't know if it's because of formatting issues on kindle, but sometimes, it was very hard to tell dialogue switches between characters. there were instances of karan saying something and then replying to himself? but it's supposed to be laila saying something? i don't know if that's because of typos, or formatting, or if it's actually supposed to be like that, but it occurred often enough that it prevented the story from flowing nicely. and the dialogue was unserious by itself too.
finally, we already know how i feel about the romance, but i just want to reiterate that straight people make me want to vomit, and karan's existence even more so. but desi girls deserve love too, yada yada, and not all of us are gay, blah blah, so we have to settle for the karan-esque love interests of the world, i suppose.
i received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
so i loved laila. most of the time. she's funny, powerful, can take of herself, fights back against karan when he's being useless. usually. and it's the usually i have a problem with. i hate when character development goes down the drain for romantic progress. he does something horrific at the beginning of the book, she finds out almost near the end, and then she forgives him... almost immediately. it's aggravating. we barely get a confrontation. i know it was very close to the end, but we could have maybe dragged this into the second book? or revealed it earlier so they could actually work through it? this is always a thing in enemies to lovers novels: the male lead does something heinous, and the female lead—who is supposedly powerful and self-respecting—forgives him two pages later because she's in lurve. enough. as for the other characters, i love badhuri (i am not calling anyone boo. no). i always love the guy in the chair characters, and she was no different. gopal was also brilliant, an even funnier apollo from percy jackson. the aunts weren't there enough for me to care either way, but their love for laila was truly real and vivid. as for karan, the less said about him, the better. laila should have been gay or in love with gopal. it doesn't go with the mythology, but it goes with common sense.
i'm desi, but not hindu, so i wasn't familiar with most of the mythology, but everything was depicted in an easy to follow manner. the plot is more things happening to the protagonists and them trying to fight back, rather than them actively advancing the storyline, but even while i was bored with that aspect, the mythology always drew me in.
as for the actual story, it was interesting up to the middle, and then it became a romance in a fantasy wig. the blurb indicates a balance between the two, but it's just mostly romance. the antagonist, his reveal, his motivations, everything was dull. i mean, a desi man being hyperobsessed with progeny and going as far as sexual assault to fulfill his desires is realistic, sure, but nothing at the end lived up to world-ending hype of everything that occurred before.
next, the writing. i don't really want to call it mediocre, but unfortunately, it's more than awkward at times. you can very much tell this is a romcom author's first foray into fantasy. and i don't know if it's because of formatting issues on kindle, but sometimes, it was very hard to tell dialogue switches between characters. there were instances of karan saying something and then replying to himself? but it's supposed to be laila saying something? i don't know if that's because of typos, or formatting, or if it's actually supposed to be like that, but it occurred often enough that it prevented the story from flowing nicely. and the dialogue was unserious by itself too.
finally, we already know how i feel about the romance, but i just want to reiterate that straight people make me want to vomit, and karan's existence even more so. but desi girls deserve love too, yada yada, and not all of us are gay, blah blah, so we have to settle for the karan-esque love interests of the world, i suppose.
i received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2025
3.25 ⭐️
December 31, 2024
3.75
"You are nothing but a woman,"
"No, bitch," Laila snapped. "I come from the woman whose thirst for vengeance fueled a war. I am the linchpin in this whole battle, and I'm the last face you'll see before you die."
"You are nothing but a woman,"
"No, bitch," Laila snapped. "I come from the woman whose thirst for vengeance fueled a war. I am the linchpin in this whole battle, and I'm the last face you'll see before you die."
December 23, 2024
Move over Buffy, we have a new slayer in town.
Ok, fair warning here, I LOVE:
YA Hero Books based on Mythology, Folklore or Religious Deities
Demon Slaying tough girls (I have the Buffy series playing in the background most days while I work)
So when Nisha Sharma's Illusions of Fire hit the NetGalley options I scrambled to hit request.
This surpassed all my hopes. Laila is far from your average teen. She lives with her adopted aunts, who have been training her in hand-to-hand combat from a young age. Why? Laila was born into a mythological bloodline and happens to need to these skills to slay magical villains.
The inclusion of Hindu Mythology was done SO WELL! I loved every minute and learned a ton of their background.
This comes out February 4th and I cannot wait to own a physical copy- look at that cover- PLEASE PLEASE let there be a sprayed edge special edition!
Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for the opportunity to read, review and fall in love with this book!
Ok, fair warning here, I LOVE:
YA Hero Books based on Mythology, Folklore or Religious Deities
Demon Slaying tough girls (I have the Buffy series playing in the background most days while I work)
So when Nisha Sharma's Illusions of Fire hit the NetGalley options I scrambled to hit request.
This surpassed all my hopes. Laila is far from your average teen. She lives with her adopted aunts, who have been training her in hand-to-hand combat from a young age. Why? Laila was born into a mythological bloodline and happens to need to these skills to slay magical villains.
The inclusion of Hindu Mythology was done SO WELL! I loved every minute and learned a ton of their background.
This comes out February 4th and I cannot wait to own a physical copy- look at that cover- PLEASE PLEASE let there be a sprayed edge special edition!
Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for the opportunity to read, review and fall in love with this book!
October 9, 2025
Oh what a delightful read this was! I have read and loved several of Nisha’s books. I was super excited to read this one when she announced it. I love mythology of any origin. This is right up my alley. It did not disappoint. It appears to be set up for many more book. I wait with bated breath for more.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
2025
October 3, 2025ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co.
March 3, 2025
4.5⭐️
This book artfully mixed TVD, Lara Croft, and PJ. Nisha Sharma did her big one with this! It has action, high stakes, character development, world building. Prior to reading this, I only knew of Nisha Sharma for her romance novels…NOT ANYMORE! I’m interested in her continuing in this new lane and I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book asap!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
This book artfully mixed TVD, Lara Croft, and PJ. Nisha Sharma did her big one with this! It has action, high stakes, character development, world building. Prior to reading this, I only knew of Nisha Sharma for her romance novels…NOT ANYMORE! I’m interested in her continuing in this new lane and I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book asap!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
October 5, 2025
Illusions of Fire follows Laila, the current descendant of Draupadi who is responsible for continuing Draupadi’s line and the creation of the next generation.
Laila is cared for by her 3 rakhshasi demon aunts who are in charge of ensuring Draupadi’s line remains unharmed by training and protecting Laila at all costs. This basically means that Laila is not like other teenagers who get to go to college and lead a normal social life. Instead, she is very much like Percy Jackson and is constantly attracting monsters who want to harm her.
Enter Karan, a handsome demon hunter who is on a mission to destroy Laila because unironically, she is being raised by a variety of demons.
What follows is a convergence of Laila and Karan’s motives where instead of annihilating each other, a betrayal forces them to work together against a greater evil.
This story is a young adult rendition of the epic, the Mahabharata.
It is equal parts charming in a Sabrina the Teenage Witch way and spooky in a R.L. Stine way with demons and witches constantly appearing and wreaking havoc for our dynamic duo.
If you enjoy young adult stories filled with mythology and monsters, this is the perfect spooky season read for you!
Thank you Union Square & Co. for providing me with an ARC of Illusions of Fire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Laila is cared for by her 3 rakhshasi demon aunts who are in charge of ensuring Draupadi’s line remains unharmed by training and protecting Laila at all costs. This basically means that Laila is not like other teenagers who get to go to college and lead a normal social life. Instead, she is very much like Percy Jackson and is constantly attracting monsters who want to harm her.
Enter Karan, a handsome demon hunter who is on a mission to destroy Laila because unironically, she is being raised by a variety of demons.
What follows is a convergence of Laila and Karan’s motives where instead of annihilating each other, a betrayal forces them to work together against a greater evil.
This story is a young adult rendition of the epic, the Mahabharata.
It is equal parts charming in a Sabrina the Teenage Witch way and spooky in a R.L. Stine way with demons and witches constantly appearing and wreaking havoc for our dynamic duo.
If you enjoy young adult stories filled with mythology and monsters, this is the perfect spooky season read for you!
Thank you Union Square & Co. for providing me with an ARC of Illusions of Fire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
June 12, 2025
I requested this book for ARC reading because of the interesting blurb for the book. I didn't necessarily have high expectations for this book, but I was pleasantly surprised when I got reading by how good it was.
The story in short is about our main characters Laila and Karan, who both have a mythological ancestor. Their blood sets them on a path in which they have a legacy to fulfill. Their paths were never meant to cross, but what if they will?
This story was mostly written from the dual POV of Karan and Laila themselves. I really liked the switcharound a lot. When it was advertised as a book for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, I have to say I got triggered as a Supernatural watcher. And behold! The story did indeed have a Supernatural vibe to it. Especially from Karan's side of things.
Nisha Sharma also knows how to keep the tension high in a story. From the beginning to the end you're on the tip of your seat because of how exciting this story is. I first noticed it at 40% in the book, which I was surprised about because suddenly I was 40% into the book, how did that even happen?
The relationship between Karan and Laila progressed fast, but is believable at the same time. The way they interact with each other just makes sense. They weren't overly lovey-dovey either, which was nice in my opinion.
I was delighted to jump into the Indian mythology of things as well. I think this was a refreshing book on that front. It's usually a lot of Greek/Roman mythology you see (Norse often as well), so I was glad to learn more about a mythology I wasn't that aware of, so applause for the author on that as well!
When reading the book, the main villain of it is quite obvious, so if you're looking for suspense on who would be the evil guy, this book won't give you that. In my personal opinion I had no problems with them revealing the evil guy from the beginning, but it might be off-putting to some.
Some quotes that caught my eye too!
‘They were Indian Indiana Joneses in real life,…’ > love that so much.
‘“What can be worse than gossip?” he asked.
“The British colonization of India.”’ > ZING.
At last I want to thank Netgalley, Union Square & Co. and Nisha Sharma for the opportunity to read this book as an eARC. I will definitely be talking about this book with my book friends and I hope to see it do well overall!
The story in short is about our main characters Laila and Karan, who both have a mythological ancestor. Their blood sets them on a path in which they have a legacy to fulfill. Their paths were never meant to cross, but what if they will?
This story was mostly written from the dual POV of Karan and Laila themselves. I really liked the switcharound a lot. When it was advertised as a book for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, I have to say I got triggered as a Supernatural watcher. And behold! The story did indeed have a Supernatural vibe to it. Especially from Karan's side of things.
Nisha Sharma also knows how to keep the tension high in a story. From the beginning to the end you're on the tip of your seat because of how exciting this story is. I first noticed it at 40% in the book, which I was surprised about because suddenly I was 40% into the book, how did that even happen?
The relationship between Karan and Laila progressed fast, but is believable at the same time. The way they interact with each other just makes sense. They weren't overly lovey-dovey either, which was nice in my opinion.
I was delighted to jump into the Indian mythology of things as well. I think this was a refreshing book on that front. It's usually a lot of Greek/Roman mythology you see (Norse often as well), so I was glad to learn more about a mythology I wasn't that aware of, so applause for the author on that as well!
When reading the book, the main villain of it is quite obvious, so if you're looking for suspense on who would be the evil guy, this book won't give you that. In my personal opinion I had no problems with them revealing the evil guy from the beginning, but it might be off-putting to some.
Some quotes that caught my eye too!
‘They were Indian Indiana Joneses in real life,…’ > love that so much.
‘“What can be worse than gossip?” he asked.
“The British colonization of India.”’ > ZING.
At last I want to thank Netgalley, Union Square & Co. and Nisha Sharma for the opportunity to read this book as an eARC. I will definitely be talking about this book with my book friends and I hope to see it do well overall!
January 25, 2025
The second i saw this on netgalley, I knew i had to read it - before or after publication, that didn't matter. So i want to extend a huge, heartfelt thank you to the publishers, author, and netgalley for giving me an ARC. Look at that cover, absolutely gorgeous. That synopsis? Sign me up, holy shit.
As someone who grew up reading percy jackson, I often wondered what something similar, with ideas closer to home would look like. Nisha Sharma delivered, and I have to say, it was a satisfying story. It has a protagonist with massive pressures placed on her by virtue of her birth, but it doesn't show her to be infallible - she's got her flaws, her weaknesses, and her resentment for the position she's put in right from the start, which i really appreciated seeing. The other characters occasionally lacked depth but given that this book reads as the first in the series, it's understandable and seems like they'll be fleshed out at a later date.
I'll be honest - the book gets so massively dark right towards the end, with the villain being so incredibly disgusting that I actually had to close the book for a second, but it worked to up the stakes, as did the ending - i think Nisha has set up a good first installment for the series.
To be honest, the only reason i gave this a 4/5 instead of a straight 5 is the humor style that got used - it wasn't really for me. The humor is very MCU humor (iykyk) with a few too many "oh, shit, he's right there isn't he?" moments peppered in for my liking, but that's a personal gripe i had.
As someone who grew up reading percy jackson, I often wondered what something similar, with ideas closer to home would look like. Nisha Sharma delivered, and I have to say, it was a satisfying story. It has a protagonist with massive pressures placed on her by virtue of her birth, but it doesn't show her to be infallible - she's got her flaws, her weaknesses, and her resentment for the position she's put in right from the start, which i really appreciated seeing. The other characters occasionally lacked depth but given that this book reads as the first in the series, it's understandable and seems like they'll be fleshed out at a later date.
I'll be honest - the book gets so massively dark right towards the end, with the villain being so incredibly disgusting that I actually had to close the book for a second, but it worked to up the stakes, as did the ending - i think Nisha has set up a good first installment for the series.
To be honest, the only reason i gave this a 4/5 instead of a straight 5 is the humor style that got used - it wasn't really for me. The humor is very MCU humor (iykyk) with a few too many "oh, shit, he's right there isn't he?" moments peppered in for my liking, but that's a personal gripe i had.
May 21, 2025
A stunning YA high fantasy debut novel steeped in South Asian mythology, badass archery and fighting scenes, mysterious fire powers and lore, and loving and loyal families dynamics. This was such an incredible read; it was fast-paced, irreverent and emotional, with enough mystery to the plot moving. The South Asian lore was highly intriguing and I felt like the author did a good job with explaining the important elements while letting us know where stories diverged.
Our young heroes are incredible: equally strong and brilliant, and complement each other with their wit, unwavering support, and chemistry. I love the underlying theme of taking fate into your own hands and straying from predetermined expectations.
The third act didn’t feel as big and epic as I might have hoped, but it laid some groundwork for potential future threads— I already cannot wait for a book two! I’m so excited knowing that this will definitely be one of the next big generational YA reads, and it was so meaningful to learn about the journey Illusions of Fire had to overcome in order to come alive on the page today.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
Our young heroes are incredible: equally strong and brilliant, and complement each other with their wit, unwavering support, and chemistry. I love the underlying theme of taking fate into your own hands and straying from predetermined expectations.
The third act didn’t feel as big and epic as I might have hoped, but it laid some groundwork for potential future threads— I already cannot wait for a book two! I’m so excited knowing that this will definitely be one of the next big generational YA reads, and it was so meaningful to learn about the journey Illusions of Fire had to overcome in order to come alive on the page today.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
January 20, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
I really wanted to love this book, I did.
Laila was presented as this powerful being who's been trained all her life for this greater purpose. Throughout the book, however, she's only needed be saved or been in the verge of losing control of her powers. Her character felt underutilized. Then, there was the inconsistencies all throughout the plot (i.e: Laila said she was a vegetarian at the beginning of the book but a few chapters later she was eating meat. Or how she spent the whole book witholding the true nature of her aunts to Karan, just to mention it in a conversation to him and the conversation went as if normal. But the next few chapters, she's still witholding that info). It got very confusing.
Other than that, the story was very interesting to read. I liked being introduced to the different aspect of Indian mythology. I also loved Boo's character. Despite being a genius with the weight of the world on her shoulder, she was still able to retain a childlike aspect to her. She was very refreshing.
I really wanted to love this book, I did.
Laila was presented as this powerful being who's been trained all her life for this greater purpose. Throughout the book, however, she's only needed be saved or been in the verge of losing control of her powers. Her character felt underutilized. Then, there was the inconsistencies all throughout the plot (i.e: Laila said she was a vegetarian at the beginning of the book but a few chapters later she was eating meat. Or how she spent the whole book witholding the true nature of her aunts to Karan, just to mention it in a conversation to him and the conversation went as if normal. But the next few chapters, she's still witholding that info). It got very confusing.
Other than that, the story was very interesting to read. I liked being introduced to the different aspect of Indian mythology. I also loved Boo's character. Despite being a genius with the weight of the world on her shoulder, she was still able to retain a childlike aspect to her. She was very refreshing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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