Book Review: Fire With Fire by Destiny Soria
The Details
Media Type: Print Book
Title: Fire With Fire
Author: Destiny Soria
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages/Length: Hardcover; 432
Release Date: June 8, 2021
Source: Publisher / TBR And Beyond Book Tours
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)
Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indigo | IndieBound
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.
The Review
Friends, I have been disenchanted with YA Fantasy for a while now. I say this only because Fire With Fire charmed me so much, that I am fully backing away from that point of view. To say that Destiny Soria has rekindled my love of dragon stories, is absolutely spot on to how I feel. This book has so much heart, so many beautiful friendships, and the kind of sisterly bond that I just love to read about. The fact that it also happens to have an amazing dragon-centered plot? Icing on the cake. This was such an enjoyable read.
Dani and Eden were such vividly written characters. Each burdened with a family legacy that that requires their all, but dealing with that burden is such different ways. I appreciated that Soria didn’t shy away from showing the cracks in the armor of both of these characters. Dani may look tough as nails on the outside, but she’s still a teenage girl who is struggling with normal life problems as well. Eden seems cold and calculated, but deep down she’s just as insecure as the rest of us. The fact that Eden also dealt with anxiety and panic attacks made me love her that much more. I always feel like characters are so much more realistic, and so much easier to connect to, when they aren’t “perfect”.
If you now worry that Fire With Fire ignores the side characters though, I can assure you that is not the case! Every character in this book is wonderfully detailed. They each have their own quirks, their own strengths, and their own flaws. It is not always easy for me to feel immersed in dialogue heavy books. They sometimes feel like they are unrealistic. Not this one. I devoured every page of their interactions. There were giggles, there were teary eyes, and there were definitely some sighs. I can promise you that this story is not only paced well, but every bit of it feels perfectly placed as well.
Have I done a good enough job of hyping this up yet? I hope so! I refuse to spoil any bit of this read for you. However I was serious earlier when I said that this rekindled my relationship with YA Fantasy. Any book that can handle both a dragon fantasy plot, and build such fantastic characters at the same time? That book has my heart. If Fire With Fire isn’t on your reading list, I highly suggest that you add it. If it is, start reading it ASAP! You won’t be disappointed.
One winner will receive a finished copy of Fire with Fire!
The giveaway starts on June 7th and ends on June 14th.
