Ik this came out a year ago but I forgot to give feedback on it and I feel bad. I liked this book but it was not my favorite. I did not connect with the story or the characters. I was a little confused on how the magic system and world in the book worked. The romance was ok. I dont think im going to read the next book in this series.

I really enjoyed this! While the story can be a little slow, and I'm usually not a fan of desert fantasies, this one definitely delivered. I think the si-fi aspect really helped bring the setting to life. I also find myself attached to every character and all their dynamics. Can't wait for the sequel!

This was fast-paced and compelling narrative following fierce and headstrong south asian characters!. I had a wonderful time reading The Boy with Fire

Loved loved loved this book! The characters are incredible, the plot had me hooked! 10/10 recommend it for fantasy lovers. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Rating 2.5
This was a disappointment. The characters didn't make any sense, it was hard to understand their motivations for anything they did. The plot was all over the place and hard to follow and I felt bored a lot of the time.

I'm putting this one down for now because I can't find the motivation to finish it. The premise of this book is really interesting, but I am currently very burned out with fantasy books and am avoiding reading it altogether. So for the foreseeable future this will be unfinished.

elena can beat me up anytime. Aparn Verma you need to stop writing such loveable characters that felt so real and devastatingly hurtful. blondie and elena for life. i wish i could read this all over again and experience the absolute joy that was this book. anyway pls need the sequel soon, thank you!

This was a fairly solid fantasy debut that sadly fell short for me. When I first requested the eARC for this book a few months ago (yes, I'm extremely late and very embarrassed), I was intrigued by its pitch, especially since The Poppy War is one of my favorite books. I wouldn't say this book was a total disappointment for me, since I really liked the writing and worldbuilding and also thought the characters were likable enough. Unfortunately, the plot made me give what could have been a 4 star read 3 stars instead; it dragged and was incredibly tedious to read for a good chunk of the book, and though it did pick up, it only did so towards the end. I think that, with better pacing and a little more character/relationship development, I would have enjoyed this book much more. Complaints aside, the ending did make me curious to check out what happens to the characters in the later books, but I probably won't be begging for the sequel any time soon.

The comparison with The Poppy War is what compelled me to read this book as I was looking for something as complex and dark as this series. But I must say, this comparison is a disservice to this novel. Except for the mention of the "Phoenix" there's nothing Poppy War-like. It makes you expect more than is delivered.

The Boy with Fire is fine: entertaining to read but not astounding enough to stick with me. To be more precise, the characters lack depth and growth, and characters are the most important aspect for me. As I couldn't get attached to them, I was losing focus of the story.

The first half has pacing issues but the rest is more interesting.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Boy with Fire has been sitting on my shelf untouched for 10 months, and I regret waiting so long to start it. More specifically, I regret waiting until 10 at night to start it because I got no sleep last night. (But on the bright side, I totally thought this was a standalone and not a trilogy so I won't have to wait as long.)

The short alternating chapter are dangerously addictive and even though the plot moves relatively slowly, I found myself telling (lying to) myself and saying "one more chapter." The world Verma created was fascinating, and I can't wait to see what the series holds for us next!

Unfortunately I have to DNF this very early on. the writing style is just not for me. Every time the author has the main character as the subject of the sentence, she refers to him by his name instead of sometimes using the word 'he.' So the it reads like "Yassen adjusted his visor," Yassen saw that," Yassen grabbed," It sent a jolt through Yassen," all one after the other. It makes the writing seem every enamored with itself. This paired with the fact that I've seen a few reviews saying that the majority of the book is very slow and boring is why I have to DNF.

This book was STUNNING.. I was absolutely enthralled from page one and I never wanted to put it down. The worldbuilding, characters and writing is all just so perfect together and I look forward to reading everything else Verma ever writes.

A new voice to behold and I can't wait for Aparna's future books and this is an epic I enjoyed! And I like their debut!

I was sent an ARC for this book for an honest review. I LOVED THIS BOOK. It had everything I ever wanted from a book, and it was in one of my favorite genres. This book was a mix of dune and the poppy war, which was right up my alley. Plus, THE CHARACTERS!!! I am in love with mr unhinged DILF himself. Overall, i enjoyed this book

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for providing the e-ARC for this book.

This was such a great and solid for a debut book. It was REALLY good.

The Boy with Fire was pitched as DUNE meet THE POPPY WAR. And I felt that! The plot was different (obviously) but there are some things that reminds me of DUNE and THE POPPY WAR.

The plot was kind of slow and picks up at 3/4 of the book I think? I get that this was a character driven book but I felt like it was a bit draggy. I love how we can see every character's struggles, their past, and what they're thinking though. I think Aparna Verna delivered them beautifully. The details are chef's kiss. AND THE PLOT TWISTS??? WHAT WAS THAT.

As for the worldbuilding, I think it was very solid and fleshed-out! Again, I love all the details.

And I love how morally grey all the characters are. They're all so complex and some of them grow throughout the story (especially Yassen). I also love the relationship between the characters.

To sum up, I love the book and I can't wait for the sequel!

I should say I'm a bit bored of this book, which is why it took me a while to read the book. Maybe just not my cup of coffee (what? I love coffee.) You'll love The Boy with Fire if you're a big fan of fantasy, which again, I'm not a fan of fantasy on the first place. But I still like it anyway. Really great story!!! A fantasy perfection.

BTW this is a very great debut!!! I appreciate it sm!!!~

**Got the ARC with exchange of review! (thanks to NetGalley)

Life forced several restarts on this book, but I was happy when I finally got to sit down and enjoy it. However, I do feel like I shortchanged the author and Netgalley and for that I send my apologies.

An absolute pleasure to read! I was promised Dune meets TPW and it delivered.
Elena is so headstrong that I wished I had read this book sooner (she reminds me of Rin/ Celeana).
The character dynamics are well played out and the author weaves such a beautiful and deadly tale that I devoured this book on one day!
Aparna Verma can do no wrong!

This book was solid for a debut. It started off very strong, with likeable characters, and a very interesting premise that I was very excited to dive in to. Unfortunately, the middle to end of this book did not live up to the first third. The pacing became very erratic, and I did not feel there was enough time to give it the proper conclusion that the book deserved. Overall, still an enjoyable read, and these criticisms can be easily smoothed out by the author's next release. Very excited to see what they do next.
3 out of 5 stars.

Unfortunately, I did not make enough research about this book before requesting. It's just not for me, which doesn't mean it's good or bad. Read 10% until I realized I don't read enough fantasy or this.
I thought this was a queer fantasy for some reason, it is not and was never marketed as such, I just assumed. The characters seem lovely. I really really wish I was into fantasy so I could like this, and I believe for those who are into high fantasy, they'll love this.

Star review there because it's necessary.