Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review
This book was beautifully written, the story was interesting and catching, just like the different main characters, that you can't help but fall in love with. The misteries and the political plottings weren't boring or heavy and actually made me like the soty even more, pushing me to keep reading out of curiosity. Csn't wait to read the next one!

I really tried to give this a fair shot since it's a debut novel. But from the start, my reading experience has not been well. I believe it was heavily impacted by the way this book was pitched. It does have nods to Dune and The Poppy War, but I was expecting more, because it was also being marketed as an Adult SFF. It felt very YA to me, along with the characters. Their development was almost nonexistent and the romance felt especially lacking, even with it being slow burn. The author knows how to write a story, but struggles with telling. There was so much of everything in this book and all couldn't develop or even function properly.

I'm always on the lookout for books that have an Indian mythology inspiration (I'm Indian!), so I was really ecstatic to read The Boy with Fire. While there were some things that were really well done, ultimately I was left a little disappointed.
The main story felt way too predictable for me, having read a lot of fantasy books in my time and the characters didn't really stand out that much. I felt the world-building could have been done a little better as well.
In spite of all this, I still gave this 3 stars solely for that ending.
Looking at the majority of the positive reviews, I might be in the minority here with my less-than impressed review, but sadly, this was an average read for me.

I really enjoyed this book. The pacing was spot on, and I loved the character's depths and how they interacted with everyone. It was such a fast, fun read, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get lost in a great story for a while!

wonderfully done, I knew the authour off of social media and was chosen for the street team so I may be a little biased but the book changed my life and I BEGGGGG everyone to read it too,

Quite a bit disappointing. Clunky and hard to get through. Characters seemed a bit trope-y. Ideas were fine enough and I think the atmosphere had the potential to be good if the plot and characters were anything special.

The Boy with Fire was an ambitious debut with beautiful prose and compelling worldbuilding, which makes my opinion of it that more underwhelming. I was drawn by the narration and cover, elegant and fiery, with an interesting cast in theory, but not in conception. On paper, these characters and their motivations fell flat. They were not the three dimensional humans of complexity I was awaiting. Their emotional journeys did not pace well and I couldn't find it in myself to love them in the way I wished.

My grievances with the novel do not indicate that The Boy with Fire is a bad book. It was decent, good if I was more invested, and a clear indication of the author's talent. I believe the series has potential to be something great.

The boy with fire was an enjoyable, strong debut which was beautifully written and had great fantastical world building. However, going into this book I think my expectations were too high and I didn’t end up liking it as much as I thought I would. My main problem was how slow the first half was, and if not for the changing POVs every chapter to keep my interest I probably wouldn’t have finished it. I don’t think I will be reading the sequel, but I’d still recommend giving this book a try, as I am sure many others will love it !!

Honestly I was a little disappointed by this book. The premise seemed really cool but it fell a little flat. I wish I could have loved it as much as I thought that I would but unfortunately that was not the case.

This book had good writing an an engaging beginning, however, the middle dragged. There was very little action and plot and a lot of repetitive exposition. The characters were hard to care for, particularly Elena because they didn’t do very much until the very end. This series has potential, however, there needs to be a stronger plot filled with more politics, intrigue, action, etc. and less exposition.

loved it! the boy with fire is a must read by all means and the characters are so well written that i couldn't get enough. will be looking forward to more from this author.

Dune meets The Poppy War in Aparna Verma’s The Boy with Fire, a glorious yet brutal tour-de-force debut that grapples with the power and manipulation of myth in an Indian-inspired epic fantasy.

Wow...it's another good epic fantasy book that catch me off guard. I enjoy this book. I love all the characters. I literally devoured the whole book fast!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy!

If you're someone who loves sci-fi/fantasy, please read this incredible book!! South Asian rep, Hindu mythological inspiration, and futuristic technology, The Boy with Fire hits all the marks in its tight worldbuilding (I would read a book on the kingdoms' histories!), elegant writing style, and fleshed-out morally grey characters. Plus so much more!!

This book was such a fresh and new fantasy. I love the desi inspiration and how these characters seemed to come to life. You felt what they felt, you hated what they hated. Aparna Verma weaves such wonderful sentences that creates such an engaging story. I cannot wait to read more from this author as she really delivers on the romance and betrayal. I love me some grey characters and this book had that!

In a world teetering on the edge of war, one man’s hunger for power might just doom them all. Yassen Knight was once a notorious assassin, now he’s on the run and his only ticket to freedom is defending the princess of Ravence. Elena is counting down the days she ascends the throne, but her inability to hold Fire threatens her crown. Leo isn’t ready to give the crown up yet, not when a looming prophecy threatens everything he holds dear. As the clock ticks till the coronation, the people of Ravence must prepare for change or fear seeing the land burn.

What stood out about this book for me was the writing. I think Verma is a phenomenal writer. I really enjoyed how she writes, it’s rich and filled with details that make the world of Sayon come to life. She writes quite smoothly in a way that seems very experienced. There are too many good quotes from this book. I’m sure my Kindle copy is more highlights than plain lines.

However, when I finished this book, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The world-building is well done, and I enjoyed the universe Aparna has formed. But I couldn’t seem to place where my disappointment lay, but I think, in the end, the characters themselves didn’t live up to the world they resided in. I feel like we really only got to understand the characters at a surface level.

Elena and Leo were interesting, and I liked the parallel between father and daughter as Leo struggles to make sure Elena will inherit a world worth fighting for, but fails to understand what is really best for his land. Yassen is introduced strong and I was prepared to adore him, but again there really isn’t any significant action aside from Leo’s chapters so much of the book is rather slow. It’s a constant cycle of being reminded that Elena can’t control her fire ability and Yassen is a former traitor. The book is advertised as “enemies to lovers,” but the energy between Elena and Yassen isn’t there. Elena is engaged in an arranged marriage between Samson, a friend of Yassen, and it feels like they had better chemistry.

It’s been some time since I finished this book, and I still can’t figure out where I stand with it. Conceptually, its plot and characters should appeal to me but reading this book felt like a drag. Pitched as Dune meets The Poppy War, The Boy with Fire struggles to light a flame to its comp mates. The potential is there, and for another reader, it will be perfect, but the story barely made a mark for me.

Thanks to netgalley and newdegreepress for this wonderful arc.
Synopsis: Leo Malhari Ravence is stepping down to coronate his only heir Elena . As the Ravani Kingdom is facing threats from an ancient myth and the land's neighbors , the King has made a less likely alliance. With the neighboring Lord and the once powerful Arohassin assassin at Ravence' side, will the Kingdom be able to protect itself?
Review: This is a Indian inspired high fantasy pitched as "the poppy war meeting Dune".These books are very high on my TBR and was one of the reasons why I gave this book a try- well I was not disappointed. As always, let's begin with the cover- the cover art is incredibly well done. I've never read any novels with Indian mythology and scientific technology crossover. Though the setting appears to be of medieval times, this book boasts of futuristic technology- ah! the game suits /holopods and what not? The characters are mostly morally grey. I loved the character arc of Leo and his complex emotions. The women here are badass-my favorite is Ferma; this warrior woman definitely needs a spin-off .
Elena is depicted as a strong would be Queen who is but vulnerable- I felt her character was so real. You can't help but fall in love with the assassin-Yassin Knight. Samson and his army, the other characters are all done brilliantly. The inner turmoils of all the characters are depicted well through their respective POVs.
The author's writing is beautiful and immersive , she literally throws the reader on to an adventure through the cold and brutal desert. I just don't have the right words to appreciate this debut author. The fight scenes, the fire wielding are frickin awesome. This book gave me strong Avatar vibes- Zuko it is! The climax cliffhanger of this book left my mouth agape- what , why, how?What I felt could have been better was the love triangle- could have been more slowly paced. Else, this book is a stunner.I would definitely go back and read this book again. I hope the Indian bookstores would definitely discover this book and bring it to their warehouses, coz I've not seen many Indian bookstagrammers recommending this.
Content warning: murder/gore
Rating : 4.5/5

Beautifully written and filled with amazing characters set against the backdrop of such a well imagined world. I really enjoyed it and hope to read more from this author.

When I first read the description, I thought this was going to be a high fantasy story, set in a medieval world inspired by India, so I was somewhat irritated, when holograms and pulse guns were mentioned. However, once I got over this mild confusion, the story really sucked me in: Told from the alternating perspectives of the tired former assassin Yassen night, the fiercely independent princess Elena and her father Leo, "The Boy with Fire" begins a fast paced sci-fi/mystery/adventure story interspersed with Indian-inspired elements but also the rich imagination of the author. I particularly liked the description of the religion and the role it played in this book.
I do think that the romance between two characters was a bit rushed as well as the ending and Leo's narrative voice sometimes didn't seem to have the gravitas of a king (,but maybe it's because I'm not used to reading an adult's perspective from a first person narrator). But I am quite excited to see where the next two books will lead us! All in all, a stunning sci-fi/fantasy debut!

Thank you for NetGalley and New Degree Press for letting me have an ARC.

there are many things groundbreaking and enchanting and painful about The Boy with Fire that i'm sure has been written about by other readers and reviewers. but what really stood out to me - despite it not being the main focus of the book - is the way Aparna Verma has managed to capture the complexity of Asian family relationships. the emotional constipation. the tough but unyielding love. the stubbornness in what each member thinks is the best for other members of the family or right way to go about things. the relationship between leo and elena ravence will haunt me to my grave.

The description for The Boy with Fire was made for me — Dune x The Poppy War??? Heck yes. This absolutely delivered in terms of world building (with a Desi setting) and with characters that are both politically savvy and dangerously scheming at times. The opening sequence kept me on my toes, as you follow an escaped assassin as he evades capture in the city. Unfortunately, the rest of the story does not keep a very engaging pace, and I found myself putting this down more often than not. The writing is very beautiful and I hope to give this another shot later on. Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC, all opinions are my own.