Fire with Fire follows sisters, Eden and Dani, as they train to become dragon slayers. Everything changes though, when Dani comes face to face with a real dragon and soul bonds with it. The fight then turns to protect the dragon and the secret it is keeping hidden in a cave. But when Eden, who is jealous of her sisters superior training, finds out about the dragon; her upbringing to kill them is not as easily dissuaded. Eden then takes drastic matters to “save” her sister and kill the dragon that has ensnared her.

This novel has some well-developed characters. I think it’s obvious that Eden’s jealousy towards her sister (Dani) drivers her to the extreme measures to protect and save her and prove herself. In the beginning of the book, I thought the jealousy was petty and concentrated on too much, but it played out well. My favorite characters were Nox and Kieran. Nox is witty and adds some comic relief throughout the book. Kieran is a jaded and complacent individual, who only shows emotion when his own soul bonded dragon is abused – but after years and years of the same life, who could blame him.

There were a couple things about the story I didn’t understand. Dani being bisexual added nothing to the storyline, except “gasp” she kissed a girl 10 years ago. Having characters that identify by their sexuality is fine, but when it doesn’t play into the storyline, I feel like it’s just placed in there to say “oh look, this book has a character that is bi or gay or whatever.” Readers on Goodreads put the tags, but it has nothing to do with the story and isn’t noticeable outside the character vocalizing it. We don’t do that to straight people in a novel… have them walk around and say “I am straight.” Dani is bi, fine, but could there be more substance around it than just saying that she is? It’s one of the first things that is mentioned in the novel about the character, yet it plays no part.

The ending of the book also was confusing to me. It seemed rushed for closer and it built up to this confrontation that the reader had no eyes in because both characters (Dani and Eden) were off doing different things. I still wonder too, how the parents of two teenage girls off for summer would keep their phone off for so long and ask no other adult to check in on their daughters during their expedition. Parent of the year award?

Overall, I did really enjoy the novel! I love YA fantasy and Nox and Kieran just make this book even more enjoyable for me. I think my students will also like this book when it is added to the library.

Thanks Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group and Netgalley for giving the opportunity to access this ARC. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to adding it to my library upon its release.

Solid contemporary fantasy set in Tennessee with a focus on BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters. The novel starts slow but picks up for the last half. It could easily serve as a standalone or as the first in a series.

I really enjoyed this one! And I’m excited to get it in the hands of fantasy readers. Looking for something with dragons? Maybe something with an out bisexual lead? Something with sisters who love each other but also...maybe have some major differences and things to work through? Spectacular.

The Rivera family has always been dragon slayers. But, what happens when one daughter is lured into becoming a sorceress and one soul bonds with a dragon? It definitely might take the whole family to work things out here.

Also, the end?! Just left me ready for a sequel.

This book is so good! Magic! Dragons! Sisters! Friendship! Awesome combat, awesome characters. I just love Nox and Dani's relationship. I also love that this book is a standalone. I wish more books were standalones honestly.

I loved this contemporary dragon-slayer story! It's got wonderful action/adventure, twists and nice pacing. The characters are easy to like/hate and relate to and there are levels of diversity which is great. There are multiple layers of storylines working at the same time. I appreciated that this was a "one and done" book for my library kiddos who are not series lovers. Very satisfied at the end. Yay!