Finding Wildfire

by Babs Rudlin

Every night, a nameless man burns in Elara’s nightmares, his ecstatic smile haunting her sleep. But the true terror begins when the fire from her dreams starts breaking into the waking world.

In the oppressive confines of Blackwood Manor, Elara lives under the iron fist of her tyrannical uncle, Julian, who rules the family and the village through fear and control. Like the rest of her clan, Elara possesses a magical bond with a loyal canine familiar and an aura that shifts with her deepest emotions. Yet lately, the vibrant light of her beloved grandmother is dangerously fading, matching a sinister decay creeping through their home.

Driven by an inescapable dread, Elara searches for answers and uncovers an ancient, leather-bound book with no title. To her horror, the blank pages ignite with living wildfire, spelling out secrets in charred letters that reveal Julian is ritualistically draining her grandmother’s life force. When her impulsive younger brother Zack vanishes into the treacherous lands beyond the village to track a mysterious stranger, Elara has no choice but to venture into the unknown to save him.

Julian’s dark, ash-binding magic is reaching its devastating peak, and he will stop at nothing to secure total submission from the clan. As Elara and Zack are drawn into the path of Mace—a legendary protector with secrets of his own—the family is thrust into a desperate fight for survival. Julian's guards are closing in, and the stolen power humming in the air is primed for a final, catastrophic ritual that requires the Blackwood children as its ultimate fuel.

If Elara cannot master her own hidden power and break the magical cage surrounding her family, Julian will extinguish her grandmother’s soul, claim the wildfire for himself, and plunge the entire realm into permanent shadow.

Finding Wildfire is the gripping first book in Chronicles of Ascendia, a detailed fantasy world featuring strong emotional stakes, magical animal familiars, and a dark, low-spice mystery perfect for readers who love deep world-building and character-driven suspense.

395 pages, Paperback

Published July 30, 2026

About the author

Babs Rudlin is an award-winning fantasy author (small awards, but awards nonetheless) dedicated to crafting immersive, low-spice worlds filled with deep mystery, captivating mythical creatures, and rich, character-driven stakes. She is the author of the ebook The Weaver's Gambit and of her highly anticipated debut fantasy novel, Finding Wildfire, scheduled for release on 30 July 2026.

Babs’s short fiction has achieved critical acclaim, earning third place in the Station Books Writing Contest and first place in the PING Anthology, where she was incredibly proud to win ARC reader accolades for 'Creepiest Story' and 'Personal Favourite' for Early Access. Her work is also featured in the upcoming autumn 2026 anthology, The Queen Arrayed in Gold and Other Myths and Legends.

When she isn't weaving intricate plots or building fantastical worlds, Babs can be found writing from her home in Essex, UK, usually accompanied by her two miniature schnauzers, who serve as excellent (if occasionally distracting) writing assistants.

Connect with Babs:

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Reviews

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a story of familial love, the trials that come with coming of age, and overcoming abuse and cruelty at the hands of those who should care for you.

I loved the dog familiars, a really unique twist on the usual magic familiar, and the characters felt real and relatable. The writing is rich with beautiful prose and vivid description.

[Elizabeth King · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you @ ashley indie house for the arc 🩷

okay, this wasn’t bad. it had great bones and good ideas; however, it needs another couple rounds of edits and a quick lesson in show vs. tell. overall, i could get through it and i was rooting for zack and elara, so that’s what really matters

[Karen Moffett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll attempt to avoid spoilers in this review so anyone interested can read it: Finding Wildfire is a great entry for a first-time author. I was reading a beta copy of the book, so it obviously still needed some final editing polish, but overall it was quite an enjoyable read. Ms. Rudlin meticulously builds a rich world as a backdrop for a refreshingly unique magic system. She does not hesitate to allow her characters quirks and flaws, even the leads. And while the "coming of age" genre is a fairly common trope in fiction, especially those tagged as fantasy and YA, she keeps it from becoming too rote by exploring more deeply how the interplay of family dynamics (both positive AND negative) can affect us as we go through that transition to adulthood. It's not so much whether we have faced difficult circumstances in our childhood/young adulthood, it's how we choose to respond to those circumstances that shapes how our lives proceed.

I also particularly enjoyed the exploration of chosen family as well as blood relatives. As someone with lots of step, half, and adopted (legal or by word) family members, I always appreciate stories that acknowledge the strength of chosen family bonds. Those people can mean every bit as much to us as someone who is a blood relative, and those relationships are shown beautifully in this story.

One of the things that the author specifically brought attention to was the ability to read a fantasy story *without* having it frequently interrupted with smut scenes. If that's something that appeals to you, this is definitely a story to check out. There are romantic elements, longing, even unrequited love, but no NSFW style scenes to startle you out of this cozy fantasy world.

I thought the ending was quite satisfying, bringing things to a successful conclusion, yet still leaving a few things open for the next installment in the series. It was certainly somewhat bittersweet, because not everything turns out exactly as you might have liked it to, but it definitely ties up enough of the loose ends that you don't feel like it's just left you hanging. I personally don't enjoy it when authors leave *everything* up in the air. If you're one to cry over books, you might want to have some tissues ready; you're likely to be saddened by the price that has to be paid at the end. But all in all, it's well worth it, and I'm looking forward to seeing these characters grow, seeing the Lore of Ascendia become richer with each visit, and watching Ms. Rudlin hone her writing style as they do.

[Sunidhi Negi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Finding Wildfire, even if I finished it wanting just a little bit more.
The world of Ashbury was easily my favourite part. The idea of familiars and spirit guides alongside a magic system powered by stories felt fresh, and the world itself was immersive enough that I wanted to keep exploring it long after I finished the book.
The characters felt wonderfully flawed. There were moments when I genuinely wanted to shake some sense into them, but that's also what made them feel believable.

My biggest issue was the pacing. Some moments, particularly towards the end, felt rushed, and I wished the story had given itself a little more room to breathe. I also wanted a stronger arc for the FMC. Everyone around her seemed to be growing while she felt comparatively subdued. That said, this is the first book in a series, so I'm hoping her journey is intentionally being built over multiple books.

I also would've loved a little more time with Rebekah and Mace's relationship before it moved forward.
The ending left me with so many questions. But maybe that's exactly what a good series opener should do—it leaves you eager to uncover the next layer.

Overall, Finding Wildfire delivers an imaginative world, an original magic system, and plenty of reasons to return to Ashbury. I'll definitely be picking up the next book.

[J. S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pacts made. The lives of babies traded. Secrets hidden and revealed. Although this fantasy novel is seemingly aimed at a YA audience, it does dip into darker territory, with an antagonist who is thoroughly amoral and unpleasant - and, in classic storytelling fashion, also the female protagonist’s uncle. Elara, together with her brother, a pack of canine familiars, and her clan, must stand against his utterly vile machinations. Add in a few surprises, including the true origin of the main characters, and you end up with an interesting fantasy yarn. Unlike many other fantasy books, the conflict does not span kingdoms or continents. It begins in a village and ends in the same village, though along the way the curtains are gradually drawn back on the mysteries of the world of Ascendia. And amid the larger heroic story, there is also a welcome touch of humour when Elara finally meets her pompous little spirit guardian. That one probably deserves a story of its own.

[Ariel]

DNF at 20%. I wanted to love this book. The premise and characters were promising. I liked the familiars and the setup for them for the rest of the book was interesting. The plot was moving along and I could see it starting to come together. But I just couldn't get past the constant tense switching. This book starts in 3rd person past tense and frequently switches to present tense within the same paragraph or sometimes within the same sentence. It was very distracting and pulled me right out. I couldn't focus. There were also several grammatical, formatting, and spelling errors (starting as early as page 1) that could have been caught with another editing pass. Also, the amount of long paragraphs of description were too much and it bogged down pacing. Thank you to the author for the chance to read this ARC. I did not finish this book, and this review reflects my honest reaction to what I read.

[Falicity Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Babs Rudlin has a way of making you feel as though you entered the very world you are reading about. From the very first page the array of emotions that the characters are expressing feels like your own. Something that I love is that this book has certain themes and vibes that reminded me of the movie Golden Compass on a smaller scale. What I mean by that is you don't get taken out of the hometown or village shall I say. Every point of the trials and tribulations happens within one place, this made the different experiences that the Village was dealing with feel more personal and impactful.

I will say there are just a few things that could've been done a little different, but definitely not enough to keep me from enjoying the journey. All in all I would Rate this book a 4 stars!

[Diya & Piya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Wildlife by Babs Rudlin was an imaginative and fantasy read.

What I loved most was the unique ideas of familiars and spirit guides. The dog familiars added such a fun and meaningful touch to the story and I especially enjoyed how they brought both warmth and personality to the magical world.

Elara's journey of discovering herself while dealing with family expectations and secrets was another part I really enjoyed.

The story does take its time in between but I think that helped build the world and slowly uncover its mysteries.

Overall this is a great pick for readers who enjoy the magical world, spirit guides, familiars, self discovery and fantasy stories full of mysteries.


Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Sarah Parker-Fullmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family secrets, dog familiars, spirit guides and found family is what I found when I read this book. Although the pace at the beginning of the book is slow, I think it provides us time to get to know the family and the hidden family secrets. Zach and Elara’s relationship had normal sibling issues but they endured trials that helped build a strong bond. The dog familiars were unique and I truly enjoyed them. Elara’s journey from family obligations to self-discovery when she gets to decide her future and Wildfire.

I thoroughly enjoyed Finding Wildfire. I want to thank the author for allowing me to be an early part of this book journey and for trusting my opinion.

[Bronte Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Wildfire by Babs Rudlin completely swept me away. The richness of the world-building and its captivating magic systems made this fantastical kingdom feel vivid, intricate and wonderfully alive.

I felt a genuine connection with the characters and became completely invested in their journey, but most of all, I absolutely loved the dogs! They brought so much warmth, personality and heart to the story.

Babs Rudlin’s immersive writing style draws you in so fully that you don’t simply read about this world; you feel as though you are living within it. Even after turning the final page, the story continues to live in your head. A magical, memorable read and an easy five stars.

[James Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful fantasy book, filled with magic and mystery. A family confronts its secret history in order to resist an evil overlord. The characters are richly developed, and you want to root for them and definitely against the bad guy. There are also lots of lovable dogs and all sorts of mythical other creatures. This is a fun read! Highly recommend.

[Tracey Mayhew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this cosy fantasy which is all about family and growing into your own strengths and powers. I really liked the idea of the familiars being dogs, that was an original idea and the world building was well developed. I would have liked to see a wider world but I'm guessing that is being reserved for future books.

Overall, this was a fun, escapist read.

I received this copy as an Advanced Reader copy in exchange for an honest review.