Cast in Firelight is an absolutely mesmerizing debut that has colorful magic, vigilante justice , and a really fun twist on the enemies to lovers trope. Adraa has been engaged to Jatin since she was a child, destined to become Rani of the Wickery. But the relationship between the two future spouses has been more about competition in mastering their magic than anything else, and she dreads the day that Jatin returns to Naupaure and she must win her royal ceremony test to become his wife. When the day comes, the two future rulers are reunited in the most unexpected way, with each unaware of the true identity of the other. When criminals harness a magical invention of Adraa's for their own gain, the two must infiltrate the criminal underground of the Wickery, and in doing so they uncover a plot to take control of the fate of their homeland, and must put their trust in each other before their enemies--and their secrets--catch up to them.
I really enjoyed Cast in Firelight. The world is colorful and inventive, a story brought to live with vivid descriptions and lush imagery that made me absolutely enraptured with it. I love the character of Adraa, especially how fiesty she is and her determination to not be diminished by her sex or by her unusual magical prowess. I liked the twist with how Swift plays with the enemies to lovers and secret identity tropes. The tension between their secrets and perceptions of each other were really rewarding, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for them to realize the truth of their relationship and of how they feel about each other. Pacing was pretty good as well . I never felt like the plot was lagging in any way. Magical cage fighting, infiltration of a criminal underground, and court intrigue all come together to create a wonderfully crafted story about believing in one's inherent worthiness in a world that values autonomy and shuns what is different, and about not rushing to judgement when it comes to who other people really are.

Adraa and Jatin have been engaged since they were children, but luckily, they also haven’t had to see each other since then. Their only form of communication since their disastrous meeting has been letters, in which they try to outdo each other’s accomplishments by showing just how far they’ve come in their magic studies.

Adraa consistently feels like she’s falling behind in these bragging letters, though. Her right arm never showed a hint of magical talent, not like her left arm did, and with both her marriage and her royal presentation looming in the future, she’s worried her arm might hold her back.

Jatin has only now returned from school to a country in which he hasn’t lived since he was a child. Can he catch up with what has happened in his absence? And can he calm his nerves over once more meeting his bride-to-be?

Adraa and Jatin soon find themselves thrown together when a network of drugs and one of Adraa’s stolen inventions is moving through their countries, infecting their people. When identities get confused, a nearby country looms threateningly, and nothing is as it seems, will Adraa and Jatin eventually learn to like each other?

I received an advanced reading copy of Cast in Firelight in exchange for an honest review.

Cast in Firelight is a young adult fantasy novel by Dana Swift. It’s also the first of a duology called Wickery.

Before I get into the review, I want to make one thing clear: this is not an #OwnVoices novel. If you see the cover, you’ll notice that there is an Indian inspiration to their clothes, and it’s an influence that’s apparent in the story as well. But, the author is white. She has explained that her husband and his family are Indian, and her children are biracial because. She wanted to write a story that her children could read and see themselves in. I did want to make sure you were aware of it, though, before picking it up.

Anyway, onto the review!

As I mentioned, there was a lot of Indian influence in the novel, and I was hoping to read about their great palaces, their lands, their worlds, their politics. And, while I feel like I did get some worldbuilding, I definitely did not get enough. Sure, we get to find out a bit of the politics of the land, although mostly we find out who rules the neighboring kingdoms. I almost never found a description of a palace in here, or of any rooms, or even of most streets. It felt rather… barren. Sure, my imagination was able to supply a setting for the characters to live their lives, but I still found it lacking. In fact, the first few chapters had me so hopelessly flailing about for a hint of setting that for a moment I thought maybe the world was much more modern than I’d thought. (It wasn’t, but I was confused for a while.) It didn’t help that the language occasionally felt so modern that it was almost out of place. Like I said, in that first chapter, for a brief second I thought it was an average modern (albeit magical) family sitting down for a nice breakfast. I could almost see the father reading his paper as he asked someone to pass the butter. And then we got a glimpse of servants, and I had to restructure my whole imagined scene. I don’t know. I think for an author trying her best to steep a world with her husband’s heritage, I’d have liked to have a better look at it, and a better understanding of it in general.

On the bright side, one thing that was very well explained was the magic system. I loved that it was formed by all sorts of colors, each associated with different gods and abilities. Red for fire, for example, white for cold, pink for healing… you get the point. I was actually proud that at some point I even began to recognize the types of magic cast by the characters, which was really fun for me, especially since there’s so many! Nine types of magic to keep track of! And yet I succeeded (it helped that some were fairly obvious).

The magic is a huge part of this story, not just of the characters, but the plot. The plot was so much fun! It combined so many pretty great tropes that I’m very familiar with and yet love to see all the same: arranged marriages, princes and princesses (or future Maharajas and Maharanis), rivals to lovers, mistaken identities, hidden identities, people being basically superheroes at night to preserve their identity, etc. So much in this book! The plot was certainly exciting, and kept me reading. I needed to know when the characters would figure out who the other were, and honestly, that sort of outshone the rest of the plot. Sure, there’s the huge conspiracy going on in the criminal underbelly of these countries, but it wasn’t as compelling as what was happening between Adraa and Jatin. The plot worked more to force them together, and it worked.

I think now might be a good time to discuss characters too, since I’ve touched on the romance. You guys know I often really dislike it. But the reason I often dislike it is because characters go from 0 to 100 in like five minutes flat. In this case, we have characters who dislike each other, and then meet each other without knowing they’ve met each other, and slowly and steadily develop, first a partnership, then a friendship, and eventually a romance. OK, so I need to say Jatin fell really quickly (and his story wasn’t as compelling as Adraa’s), but it still felt much more real. As for Adraa wrestling with her developing feelings, coming to enjoy Jatin’s presence, and just generally, she was much more fun. She was inventive and creative and so stubborn and powerful. A great combo for a main character.

I do wish we’d learned more about her relationship with her family, though. We get hints here and there, but never something more substantial. In fact, I completely forgot she had a little sister for about 50% of the book, which is hardly ideal, especially when she comes back in the end to perform some more important tasks. (I can’t even remember her name at this point.) Other characters also show up here, especially in the beginning, and their friendships with the main characters are clear, but then as Adraa and Jatin begin to fall for each other, they sort of fall to the wayside.

I’m now realizing that I might have given you guys spoilers as to the romance, but did you expect any differently? This is the way these sort of books go, and from the very beginning, I should hope you’d know where it’s going. Like I said, it’s a familiar plot structure. If I did ruin anything for you, though, I apologize! I’ll try to be better in my other reviews!

Cast in Firelight was a fun read. It felt very light and quick, and it’s the romance that really shines through. Fantasy romance lovers should enjoy this especially!

Cast in Firelight will be released on January 19. You can preorder it from Delacorte Press here.

“My world is cast in firelight. The sky is one large glob of darkness painted in bleeding red”

How would you write a fantasy story set in South Asia? Would it involve politics, stereotypes and propaganda? Or would you take it as it is; as a young adult novel? This story is definitely a proud member of the latter category.

‘Cast in Firelight’ is a fantasy story based on kingdoms, their rivalries, differences, and most importantly, magic. It revolves around Jatin and Adraa, two teenagers from different kingdoms, arranged to be married since they were kids, but they obviously turn out to become enemies and then into lovers. Coincidence? Definitely. A classic enemies to lovers trope.

One concept I really liked about the book was the representation. We would usually expect #ownvoices authors for #ownvoices books, what with stereotypes and issues of racism coming into the picture, but Dana Swift did complete justice to the community. Being an Indian, I can definitely say that the story and writing didn’t involve a single offensive line, which is rare, and I’m thankful to the author for that.

Hidden feminism, sisterhood and young love are what make this book worth a read. I did get lost a bit in the middle, and the characters are hard to track, but otherwise it’s a commendable book.

Adraa, Princess of Belwar, is not thrilled about her position as the future maharani of Naupure, especially since it means entering into an arranged marriage with Jatin. As the heir to the title of maharaja of Naupure, Jatin is insufferable, constantly ratcheting up the competition between himself and Adraa that began when they first met at the age of nine. Now as Adraa’s eighteenth birthday nears, Belwar’s streets are flooded with the drug Bloodlurst and the criminal organization the Vencrin seems to have deeper designs. Adraa’s invention of firelight, a power source designed to help Belwar citizens live a better life and be sold at a cheap and fair price, is disappearing and the cost has risen so high that almost no one can afford it. Adraa adopts a secret identity to try and get to the bottom of the Vencrin’s operation, but in the process, runs into Jatin. Neither of them know the other, but Jatin decides to help Adraa in her quest. But as Adraa’s birthday creeps closer, a time when she will have to showcase her talents and prove that she has mastery over all nine types of magic, the plot thickens, secrets arise, and it becomes more difficult to tell friend from foe.

Dana Swift’s Cast in Firelight was a light and delightful tromp. Though combining a few young adult tropes, such as enemies to lovers and secret identities, these were offered to the reader in fun ways. Though not reinventing the genre, Cast in Firelight could generally be considered a young adult romance with a fantasy background. In terms of the fantasy elements, the magic system was interesting, though a bit complex. It was difficult to keep track of all nine colors and what magic was imbued in each. The gods associated with each were impossible to remember. It was also a bit unclear how individuals were blessed with various powers. The explanation provided to the reader was that some are touched by the gods and thus get their powers, particularly their Fortes, the color that is strongest in that individual. However, some are Untouched and it was unclear how this choosing occurred. As a reader, I did appreciate that Swift worked to create a magic system that was unique.

The two central characters were also well drawn. Both Adraa and Jatin were likeable and their motives were clear throughout the entire story. Additionally, the fact that they began to respect each other over time led credence to their eventual declarations of love. However, the characters around Adraa and Jatin were tougher to determine since they were a bit one dimensional. The eventual villain is a bit of a cardboard cutout and I’m hoping that that sequel will rectify this.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It was a quick, light read and the final few chapters offered a great deal that I hope will be explored in the future. I also appreciated Swift’s address to the reader noting that she was not trying to appropriate other cultures but instead create characters that look like her children.

I went into this book with fairly low expectations - elemental magic isn't exactly new, and the promise of romance is, if anything, a deterrent to me (I'm picky about my YA romance, ok?). I also feel like that last few years of YA fantasy have been full of hackneyed books that all read the same way. Ultimately, though, I raced through this! It was a super fast read, and the take on the elemental magic was cool enough that it didn't feel trite. Was it tropey? For sure! But I loved the tropes - I love an elemental magic system done well (and it was, here), the mistaken-identity-romance trope AND the princess is a street-fighter at night trope and they are combined quite well in this book. Whenever I thought we were going to veer headlong into some angsty romance problem that is completely solvable with the teensiest bit of talking, the characters would use communication to head off those issues at the pass! Basically, the author could've been lazy to create tension and whenever it looked like she was headed down that road, she would pretty quickly have the characters reach a solution themselves. Speaking of the characters, they were great! The book alternates between the perspectives of our main characters, and I really enjoyed both perspectives. Adraa, our female lead, is capable, fierce, and smart with a touch of very relatable insecurity and a strong moral compass. Jatin, the male lead, is capable, fierce and smart with a ton of empathy - he's going to make folks who like men swoon. The book arguably had a few too many things going on, but nonetheless, it's an amazing debut, and I for one will be eagerly awaiting the next installment.

5 stars - I'll be recommending it to anyone who reads YA fantasy.

This book!!!! I was captivated from page one and absolutely addicted through the rest. This book was entertaining, insightful, and oh so romantic. I could recommend this book to you a million times and it wouldn't be enough.

First, the humor in this book was top tier. Adraa, one of the main characters, was so hilarious. That's what made me like her right off the bat. But she continued to impress me with her courage and fortitude. She was willing to do whatever it took to protect those she loved, including those in her kingdom, despite the weaknesses she had. Speaking of weaknesses, it was great to see her work through those throughout the book. One of the great weaknesses I loved watching her overcome was her perception of herself. Some of our greatest weaknesses can include the way we see ourselves and I love the way Swift wrote about this.

Now, onto our other main character, Jatin. *sigh* He was...wonderful. Amazing. Kind. Humble. So incredibly sweet. And 100% swoony. I loved that we got his POV throughout the book and not just Adraa's. He also had such a strength to himself and I think that's what originally drew me to him. He had many obvious strengths, like his ability to weld the 9 magics, but it was also his ability to admit when he was losing, to follow instead of lead all the time, to listen to others with an open mind. I just loved getting to know him and loved seeing him with Adraa even more. He's a new favorite book boyfriend of mine.

The last character I want to briefly mention is Jatin's dad. He's just so cool! I really hope I don't have to end up hating him in the next book because I loved getting to know him during this one. It will be interesting to see how his character is used in the coming book.

This world that was described was also so fun to get to know. I loved that things felt modern, but fantastical at the same time. I also love that it didn't take forever for me to learn it. Some fantasy books have lavish and complex worlds that take me so long to learn that I just get bored and stop reading. This world was just familiar enough new enough to challenge me but familiar enough to encourage me to learn it all. I also felt like things were explained well and the world-building was done well enough that I could truly see things as I was reading. Phenomenal!

Lastly (and maybe most importantly) was the romance. This glorious slow-burn was heartachingly beautiful and had me wanting to yell, more than once, at the characters to just tell each other who they really were. Of course, this frustration is what I love the most about romances because it builds up the tension and makes their love confessions that much sweeter. I'm obsessed with Adraa and Jatin's relationship and can't wait to see how things progress in the next book.

Overall, this book had my heart-pounding from the action, made me a little teary-eyed from the romance, and shocked me more than once with the plot. I wish I could read this book again for the first time!!

Excellent fantasy adventure romance. At first this reminded me of several other books I've read: heroine forced into an arranged marriage then accidentally falls in love with the fiancee. However, the twists and turns in the story along with the magic and world building was original and refreshing. The author did a great job building a unique world that made me invested in exploring it throughout the novel. Well worth the read.

** Some more mature content for readers, I would advise 8th grade and up.
#CastinFirelight #NetGalley

I was very excited to read this book and I was not disappointed at all. The story is fresh and new, I liked it very much as the author captured the setting in the book, its magic system is and is not known, if it is like it has no explanation, but by reading the book you will realize what I mean.
Is it one of those stories that circumstances happen and you wonder all the time how this story will end? Well, I'm telling you that I'm left with many doubts, and I can't wait for the second part.
I really enjoyed the romance of Adraa and Jacinta and how their relationship was developing throughout history. Actually, that's what wouldn't let me even have a moment to read the book. I can't help but reverse that for me a perfect book is that it contains romance and fantasy, lol love drama.
I keep wondering what's going to happen? What's going to happen. Haha, I need answers. Thank you PRH international for the e-book.

Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.
Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.
Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.

Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross...and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.
Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

After the story has started with an easy yet interesting flashback to a few years ago, the story quickly develops with action and adventure. It really doesn’t lack any of this throughout the whole book. The chapters alternate between Aadra and Jatin right from the beginning and as soon as they meet again after so many years, hey both take on other identity’s. As a reader you have a head start knowing this, as for they don’t know who the other person really is. Normally it is the other way around, the author keeps quite some information from you as a reader, to surprise you later. But now this story feels quite original because of it. You might think it makes the story more predictable, but that’s not the case at all. The author knows exactly how to excite the readers and make them wonder about other stuff that’s going on. Both characters go through a lot, mostly together, because they form an undercover duo. They end up in dangerous underworld and have to use their powers to save each other or themselves a few times in a row.

The writingstyle is very pleasant to read. Besides the unknown words that come with the story and the new world itself, it doesn’t contain any difficult or complicated words or language. Also, the chapters are not too long and the changes of perspective keep the story going. The magic in this story is slightly different from other books. The nine different forms of magic are linked to nine different colors. Every person can learn one or more forms, but there are also people who are ‘untouched’. None of the characters that come along are untouched, and it does make you wonder how these people live, since they have a disadvantage. It isn’t discussed a lot in this book though. It’s more about Aadra and Jatin developing their own magic and how exactly they can use it in combat. The visualisations of them using magic are simple but graphic.

Since you already know about the two main characters having a double identity, the question remains, when and how they will find out about each other. Sometimes this creates more exciting and thrilling events, but halfway through the book, it seems to take quite some time before they discover this. When the time finally comes, things go pretty different than you might expect. Therefore the story becomes a little less predictable. Later you discover the author had even more surprises and a few plot twists in store and the story keeps on surprising you.

A delightful YA-Fantasy for readers of Spin the Dawn, A Tiger at Midnight and The Princess Will Save You. With quite a few surprising and magical elements Dana Swift wrote a fantastic book that can easily be added to this YA genre.

Adraa is put in an arrange marriage to Jatin at the age of eight. She ends up slapping him and then they don’t see each other for another nine years. When they do run into one another they don’t even know who is who. They end up giving each other fake names and partner up together to find out who is stealing and selling Adraa’s firelight. Will they fall for one another? Who is behind the firelight? What dangers lurk?
Cast in Firelight is a delicious read. It has romance, mystery, and a lot of action. I loved that Jatin and Adraa both didn’t know who each other is and show their true selves to one another, which they would have never done if they knew who each other were from the start. The world building was great. I really want to see more of the world and its inventions. You won’t regret this read.

Thank you so much, Random House Children's, Delacorte Press and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review of my most anticipated books in 2021!

Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, she's a talented witch and she will take her royal cerimony test before all the nine Gods to become a rani. She's engaged, since she was a child, to Jatin, the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard, able to use all nine colors of magic.
Their relationship isn't the best. They lived separated, since Jatin was sent abroad to study and Adraa tutored at home, their relationship is made of taunting and competitions and neither of them is enthusiastic to see one other, when, at the start of the book, Jatin comes home.
But while investigating the criminal underground, their paths cross and neither of them realize who the other is, since they are using secret identities. Between magic fights, deadly spells, both Adraa and Jatin keep their real identities secret, but their relationship become more and more intense and important and they will have to trust one other to uncover their truths and a dangerous threat, ready to destroy everything they care for.

Cast in firelight is the first book of a intense and heart-pounding fantasy duology, about two royal heirs betrothed to be married and a ruthless enemy, willing to use and destroy their world.
This book is unbelievably amazing and the worldbuilding is wonderfully crafted. Set in a fantasy world, where people believe in nine gods and some are blessed by their powers, so they can use healing magic, or fighting magic, fire, water, ice and so on. They can cast in nine different colors, each connected to a type of magic and a deity. Jatin can use all kind of magic and Adraa is training to be a worthy leader for her country, by mastering all nine types.
The political situation is pretty complex, since each country has its own beliefs about gods and goddesses, their worth and the people's worth, causing discriminations and problems. In Belwar and Naupure our main characters have to fight against a dangerous drug, lies and subterfuges and more manipulations, too.

The story is told by Adraa's and Jatin's POVs and they are amazing main characters, complex and well written. Adraa is a brilliant young woman, a powerful witch determined to prove her worth to her family and country (and to herself). She's strong-willed and passionate about the things and people she loves and she's anxious about her ceremony and to prove herself.
Jatin is a strong wizard, seen by Adraa as an arrogant and cold young man, the truth is much more complex and he's anxious to return to home after being away for so many years to study, uncertain about his relationship with his own father and confused about that with Adraa. Their relationship is complex, since it was made of taunts and competitions, fighting to surpass one other while they were growing up. Now that they are both adults everything is different and it won't be easy to get past their first assumptions about one other.

I really loved the way they get to know one other, throught their secret identities, investigating the criminal underworld, fighting with deadly spells, risking their own lives, building their trust. The criminal underground is really intriguing, with its complexity, the magic fights, drugs and mysteries. Wonderful. A mystery woven into a romance and a fantasy novel.

Cast in firelight is full of plot twists, well written main and side characters. I absolutely loved Kalyan, Riya and Prisha and Maharaja Naupure, whose relationship with Adraa is build on trust and affection and the plot touches important themes like discrimination, addiction, drugs, war, murder, violence and lies.

It's not a "simple" story about two heir, forced into an arranged marriage, but a story about fighting to discover the truth, protect their countries, prove his and her own worth, trust, family and friendship.
I loved reading Cast in firelight and I devoured it in less than a day! The story is intriguing, the characters' interactions are brilliant and funny and the way they slowly get to know one other is fantastic.

I recommend this book to those who love romance, mystery, wonderfully crafted worldbuilding, new kinds of magic, love, friendship and family.

"Cast in Firelight" started a little slow in the beginning, but it picked up fast and kept rolling with the action. I loved the world building, and although there are many gods and types of magic to keep track of, Dana Swift makes them easy to remember with her clever naming system. And I knowww she said it's not enemies to lovers, but it definitely has the same feel.

While I probably would have enjoyed "Cast in Firelight" more had it been OwnVoices, it definitely left me wanting the next book ASAP! I would definitely recommend this one for fans of Alwyn Hamilton's "Rebel of the Sands" series.

I was definitely not expecting to like this book as much as I did. From the very start, I was hooked. I literally couldn't stop reading. A rivalry-to-lovers, rom-com, and adventure fantasy story? You got me!

It's been a while since I read something focusing on both romance and fantasy, and I realise now how much I've missed it. And I will say that the author managed to perfectly blend romantic elements with fantasy and action. The writing and plot were addictive, and the characters were intriguing and complex. Adraa and Jatin? Oh, I loved them so much. Often, I hate fast-developing romances and insta-love, since I usually love pining and yearning. But this book? I was in for the romance from the very start.

Moreover, the world-building was amazing. The magic system and Southasian-inspired world? Woah. I will admit that I was a little disappointed that this book wasn't an OwnVoices story. Yet, then I read the author's note:

"I can’t pinpoint the exact moment my inspiration for Cast in Firelight hit. It was a mix of old and new ideas fused together. But I can tell you the world of the story came from my husband and our conversations about culture, children, and what it means to be an interracial couple.

I know some readers may be disappointed that this story isn’t #OwnVoices. You may look me up and see my pale skin (and one of the most English names in existence) and wonder why I tried to craft a fantasy in which none of the main characters look like me. And for me the answer is simple: because these characters will look like my children."

I am not South Asian, so I can't say if the culture and values were represented perfectly. Yet I do believe the author handled the world-building and themes well.

Overall, I found myself really enjoying this book. The world of Wickery, the playful and witty banter between the main characters, and the magic system was something I really loved. I highly recommend reading this book when it's released in January!

Over and out. -Nora<3

***ARC Review***

I read this book in two days. Cast in Firelight hooks you right from the start and keeps the pages turning. I was invested in the characters almost immediately and the relationships in this book are done incredibly well. Not only is the romance absolutely amazing, but the focus on platonic friendship and familial relationships is intricate and heartwarming, I truly loved all of the characters. Adraa and Jatin are both complex characters that I enjoyed getting to know over the course of the story. Complete with false alliances, magical hierarchy, and underground drug dealers, the world building and magic system are original and super interesting. The faced paced plot is filled with twists kept me guessing and the ending leaves you begging for more. I can’t wait for book two! This binge-worthy story definitely deserves to be the next big thing in the world of YA fantasy.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Actual rating: 3.5

Dana Swift presents the first installment in the Wickery series, Cast in Firelight. Readers follow Adraa, the eldest born daughter of the raja and rani of Bedwar. In Wickery, the gods bless some people with elemental magic corresponding to colors. Adraa, as future rani, is expected to master all nine magics. When she is betrothed to Jatin, future raja to the neighboring people, his ease with each type of magic establishes a rough start in their relationship. As Adraa and Jatin age, their relationship shifts from enemies to friends to lovers and they might just have to save all of Wickery in the process.

I enjoyed my reading experience with Cast in Firelight. Adraa was an accessible and relatable character that managed to not fall into the "not like other girls" trope. I enjoyed the seamless incorporation of LGBTQ characters and characters with disabilities as well as having a strong POC cast. More than just the inclusion of these characters, every single character had purpose and development and none of the characters were token representation. I was also grateful to read Swift's note regarding her own family and the fact that this story is technically not #OwnVoices. This is another situation where the own voices concept could have potentially hurt the reception of this work, and I hope that it does not.

Beyond those things, I like elemental magic with a fictional pantheon. That's never going to get old for me, and it formed the basis for this story. This story happened to be a combination of so many common fantasy themes that I enjoy executed well and with a writing style that is easily readable and fast-paced. I didn't find anything to be particularly ground-breaking or original, but it doesn't have to be in order to be a good story and good entertainment.

I think that fans of Elise Kova's works could easily find a new home in Wickery. I look forward to reading more from Swift and more in this series in the future.

This book incorporates so many of the tropes I love: mistaken identities, arranged marriages, enemies to lovers, and a unique, complex magic system. I think this book will be particularly appealing to teen readers who are new to the fantasy genre. The voice is somewhat more conversational and modern than is typical for fantasy which might make this book more accessible overall.

The two main characters Adraa and Jatin were so much fun! They perfectly complemented one another, and I loved their banter. The plot was engaging and face paced. I would highly recommend this book to any lovers of YA fantasy!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dana Swift has created a phenomenal world and giving me a heroine that I had no idea that I needed. Adraa is the heroine that I have been searching for - relatable and human. She has insecurities, but is still full of sass and strong as can be - more realistic than I thought she would be. She is a future queen willing to risk it all and do what is needed to be done for her country. I cannot wait for the next installment in Adraa's story.

I received an e-arc of Cast in Firelight from Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Adraa Belwar is betrothed to Jatin Naupure in an attempt to create an alliance between Belwar and Naupure. 9 years later, Jatin comes back to Naupure, but not everything is the same. Adraa has created firelight, which is a cheaper option to light the people of Belwar's homes, and someone is stealing it. Can they figure out what is going on before more people suffer?

I really enjoyed reading Cast in Firelight. Swift created an interesting magic system that revolved around Gods and Goddesses she created. I love when authors take the time to create an intricate magic system with equally intricate spells that allow the person to use magic. Magic systems that are cool like the one Swift created really enhance a story. I would have loved an explanation at the end of what the spells meant (because I like knowing a lot of things like that), but the story is still amazing without it.

What I really enjoyed was how Swift characterized all of her characters. Adraa wasn't made out to be a weak, female protagonist who needed a man to save her. She very well could have completed all of her missions on her own in the book, even if she had to die trying. Jatin was an interesting character and I loved learning more and more about him as the story went on. All of her characters were amazing in their own ways, but Adraa and Jatin were my favorite. Their alternating POVs made me want to keep reading because I wanted to know more about what happened to the other when I was finishing one chapter.

As can be expected by the 3 star rating, I really didn't enjoy this book. It is a fun little fantasy romp with modern American-sounding characters in a pseudo-Indian setting. It features a lot of the tropes in books that skew for the early teens: characters that sound like they stepped out of a CW TV series, a 'too-stupid-to-live' female protagonist, a milquetoast male lead who spends most of the book in awe of the girl despite how obnoxious and rude she is to him, and a lot of very unbelievable scenes. It was a bit much for me but I think others who want to zone out and shut off their brain can just enjoy the ride.

Story: Adraa, a princess and heir to the Belwar throne, can manipulate fire and might have a hidden ability she is trying to discover. When she finds a conspiracy that affects the the poor of her people, she goes undercover to find the person responsible. Jatin, her betrothed and heir to Naupure, has not seen her since they were children (despite his father being good friends with Adraa and seeing her often). When his father brings up an underworld conspiracy in Belwar, he goes to help Adraa's servant. What he doesn't know is that the servant is Adraa herself and that they will have to enter an underworld fighting competition in order to unmask the mastermind out to hurt Adraa's people.

There is the usual mistaken identity - both Adraa and Jatin believe they are working with bodyguard's/servants to their betrothed. No, it doesn't make a lot of sense that two different kingdoms would send their heirs alone and undercover to root out a plot to overcharge citizens for basic needs. Especially not to a deadly fighting ring in the underworld where rules and fair gameplay are not exactly followed. There are a lot of scenes like that - Adraa pretty much does whatever suits her fancy and everyone approves of her actions, even when she's lying about everything. Other contradictions became hard for me to stomach: such as always saying/thinking about being the best leader for her people and then going out and constantly endangering her life and potentially robbing them of a leader. That, and the lying to her parents and their acceptance of her constantly rude remarks to others. Not exactly what you would find in any court.

Another glaring problem for me is the modern language - very Los Angeles 2020? We see her mimic a teacher by making a Yoda-like sentence, retorting, "yeah, me too, buddy", or talking about 'ditching' her bodyguards. Honestly, what's the point of world building if everyone sounds like a TV show teenager set in modern times? Yes, it makes it more relatable for the young. But it feels lazy and doesn't help give us a fantastical world. Imagine Harry Potter without all the unique terms and sounding more like a character from Hannah Montana.

So no, this is not a terrible read and if you shut off your brain, you will likely enjoy it. I think I just prefer a better developed and unique fantasy that doesn't talk down to its YA audience. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

CAST IN FIRELIGHT by Dana Swift is the story of young royal casters, Adraa and Jatin. Destined to marry, both of them reluctant to do so, and both of them pretending to be someone they're not in order to uncover a mysterious plot that could bring about the destruction of both their homes.

I was thoroughly impressed by this story—most of all, the magic system. It was familiar and yet unfamiliar all the same. More than that, the way the magic system was presented was clear, straightforward and easy to follow. Swift did an excellent job at showing just how powerful Adraa and Jatin were while proving their weaknesses not only in their power but character as well. And don't even get me started on the enemies to lovers payoff!!!

This book swept me up in the story, the world—which was far different than anything else I've read lately—and kept pulling me on. By the time the last few pages had come upon me I was desperate to find out how it would end and how everything could be resolved in the happily ever after I hoped it would be.

The only thing I struggled with this book is part of me was left . . . wanting. The love story and the climactic and triumphant end were certainly powerful, but there were aspects of the story that seemed to be missing. Some things came out of left field. And while I believed it and I enjoyed the plot twist(s), I would have enjoyed it more had more foreshadowing been laid out in the beginning. There certainly was plenty of foreshadowing for the overarching goal, but for a few select things, I needed more. The story was nearly there, and just a few little explanations could have fixed it for me.

The only problem I had with the worldbuilding was the lack of history. The story was very grounded in the present circumstances and Adraa and Jatin's present battle to discover what's really happening with Adraa's firelight. But there were aspects of their magic system and their social/political structure that I wanted to know more about. I understood their Gods were involved, but how much? (We learn later in the story it's a bit more than we first understood, but I would have liked more in the beginning to set up the end.) Adraa kept saying here and there she was terrified about the ceremony and that she might fail—and failure means death. It was mainly a passing thought in the text, and not fully explained. So by the time the ceremony came around, I wasn't entirely sure the significance or I wasn't that emotionally invested in it, especially since it plays such an integral part in the last quarter of the book. And maybe this was answered, but it wasn't clear to me—why does Adraa have to do the ceremony? Is this a patriarchal thing? There's a reason Jatin doesn't have to, and only Adraa does? I think it might have been briefly explained, but perhaps not well enough because it didn't leave me with much significance.

That being said, I really, really enjoyed the romance between Adraa and Jatin and how their relationship developed over the course of the story. If anything, that's what really kept me hooked—I wanted them to end up together so badly!! I am very excited to read more in this series, and I can't wait to see what book 2 has in store.

4/5 stars