Hello! Today I have a review of Destiny Soria’s most recent release Fire with Fire and 5 reasons why you will not want to miss this book. Thank you to Destiny Soria for providing me with an ARC of Fire with Fire and TBR and Beyond Tours for the opportunity to participate in this tour. This being said, these did not influence my thoughts and feelings about the book.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publishing Date: June 8, 2021
Content Warnings: violence, torture, animal cruelty (a dragon), mentions of racism, descriptions of anxiety/panic attacks, character death, unwanted sexual advance on a minor–very brief and involves face/arm touching only (Chapter 17)
Synopsis:
Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it’s kill or be killed where dragons are concerned.
Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.
My Review of Fire with Fire
I had been looking forward to Fire with Fire ever since I learned about it while browsing catalogs on Edelweiss. A fantasy with dragons, dragon slayers, and Latinx MCs? Just by the sound of it I knew it’d be the perfect book for me. If you know me you know I love fantasy and one of the things I love reading about are family relationships. Fire with Fire delivered on both and more.
Let’s talk about the basics first like writing style and setting. The writing style in Fire with Fire was very easy to follow with some words that I had to look up to remind myself what they were. Overall, it was straightforward and I enjoyed it due to it being easy to follow and not flowery. If it were in such a manner the story would have been very different. The story is told in multiple POV and third person. We follow sisters Eden and Dani. Both their perspectives were distinct and I liked that I could differentiate between the two.
One of the biggest surprises when I started reading the book was its contemporary setting. For some reason I thought this took place in a fantastical world. I guess my brain saw the word dragon and thought that it would be set in a different world than our own like many fantasy novels. With its contemporary setting the novel contests the reader’s beliefs about dragons and in what era they reside. I enjoyed that the fantastical existed alongside technology and the new. The blend of the two was great! I could definitely see things like a subreddit about dragons and their existence happening.
The novel takes place in Tennessee and a lot of it is in the woods. Soria uses the Great Smoky Mountains as a setting, which I thought was amazing. I have heard little about these (just the name), but learning more about the place was interesting. Also, I just love things set in the woods or woodsy settings. Moreover, Dani and Eden’s family lives in the woods and it’s a great place for them to train. Much of the story unfolds in their home and surrounding area.
Moving on to the two main characters Dani an Eden. I loved both of the for varying reasons. Dani is headstrong and someone who goes with their gut. While Eden is more of a perfectionist and a planner. Many of the things Eden said and thought I resonated with. She deals a lot with self-doubt and feeling like she isn’t enough for her parents and her community. Dani wants to be normal and feels like she will never reach the expectations of her family especially her sister.
Both deal with not feeling enough, but in very different ways. I enjoyed that their dynamic was fueled by their perspective of the notion of not feeling good enough for one another and their community. Dani and Eden’s relationship was intricate and it is the core of Fire with Fire. Each character’s development is rich and their progression made sense based on the events and their personalities.
While the main characters were developed wonderfully some of the relationships with the side characters weren’t to my taste. There was one romantic relationship in the book that felt rushed to me. If the character were to be introduced before I think I would have enjoyed it more. This is a personal preference! I recognize why the relationship was developed, but it did so too rapidly for my taste.
One relationship outside of the main characters I loved was Nox and Dani. I liked how Nox was a bit grumpy and rightfully so. He was the perfect fit for Dani. Their relationship highlights the importance of compassion and the importance of friendships. Their relationship is beyond complicated since their so much history between dragons and slayers, but I loved how they understood each other and worked together without erasing the hurt they have gone through. There was a mutual respect between them.
Overall, I enjoyed Fire with Fire! I think it had a great cast of characters and the relationship of the main characters was developed well. I had a lot of fun learning about this hidden world and even hope for some sort of sequel. I would love to read more about different slayers and what happened after the events of the novel. The book also had amazing representation of anxiety and panic disorder. I love when anxiety is portrayed in fantasy and this has been the second book that I’ve seen it incorporated in. I will be recommending this book to any fantasy lover and those who look for representation of family relationships in YA. Fire with Fire is out now!!!
My Rating: 4 stars ⭐️
5 Reasons to Read Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria
1. Dragons
Okay, this comes as no surprise right? The dragons in Fire with Fire are not just massive animals that are badass they have a rich history. Soria crafts them to be more than the dragons you find in popular media and this is something I think readers will find refreshing.
2. The relationship between sisters
I love a good exploration of family dynamics and if you’re like me you’ll enjoy the intricate relationship between Dani and Eden. Soria presents the reader with a pair of siblings who have been trained to be part of a family legacy, neither of them has been given the opportunity to be themselves outside of this context. This presents itself in their interactions and fuels their relationship. It’s interesting to experience how this plays out and how love is expressed between these siblings.
3. Bi rep
I have been on a quest to find more bi-characters in books. Fire with Fire had great representation and even portrayed some of the issues and discrimination bi people face at times. It was such a pleasant surprise to find this representation in a fantasy book.
4. Contemporary Setting
This was the biggest surprise for me when I started reading the book. For some reason I thought it would be set in a fantastical world. I loved how dragons and other magical beings existed within the context of the present world. This made for an interesting dynamic especially between Nox and Dani. Dani would bring in pop culture while Nox brought in the perspective of a being outside of it. I think it worked well and it adds something new to the existing lore.
5. The representation of anxiety and panic disorder
This was one of my favorite aspects of the narrative. One of the main characters deals with anxiety rooted in self-doubt and for me the portrayal was spot-on. If you’re like me and enjoy representation of anxiety in fantasy I would highly recommend Fire with Fire for that.
Author Information
Destiny Soria is an author who writes novels featuring magic, mystery, and an excess of witty banter. She lives in Birmingham, AL, where she spends her time trying to come up with bios that make her sound kind of cool. She has yet to succeed.
Follow the Tour
To view other amazing reviews and creative content from other creators visit the tour schedule to follow along with the tour.
Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense says
Great review! I also loved both leads and their dynamic. It was so easy to relate to both of them, even when they were on opposite sides. Yeah, that romantic subplot kind of took me out of the story, but I still overall really enjoyed this one.
Sam @ Spines in a Line says
A great review, happy to read your thoughts now that I’ve finished the book! I definitely agree with your 5 reasons to read it, this was such a great book!