This was such a good start to a series! I loved the world, the dragons and sister relationship Faron and Elara. They would do anything for one another. The story progressed at a steady pace with the majority of the action happening in the last 25% of the book. Loved the subtle romance each sister had and can't wait to see how those relationships progress. Loved the unique magic with unique gods. Dual pov is always my preferred method of story telling in fantasy novels and this did not disappoint. Counting down the days till book 2.

Some things I wished were included in the book:

More interaction with their parents, they were only mentioned in the beginning and then they were non-existent which I felt was not believable. Especially when they were described as having a lot of anxiety to losing their daughters after the war

A prequel highlighting some of the events of the war! i felt like there were some information that felt like info dumping that could have been avoided had that story been told on it's own.

I enjoyed this book, just not quite enough to make it 5 stars. The world building was fascinating but it dragged at moments and took me a while to get into.

I did absolutely love the characters though and would love to have a physical copy of this book. Once the ball got rolling, it was a really interesting read, it just took a minute.

Take this review as a its me, not you thing.

Though I am very excited about the author and her debut, the book was okay. It wasn't a bad story. I actually enjoyed it. I just had trouble sticking with it. My disconnect comes from the story after a war, and because the trials and tribulations of that war are mentioned so much, we're missing the full strength of the mission at hand while reading this current story. In other words, this book would be a fire ass sequel.

The book does read younger than usual at times. There were times I questioned the ages of the sisters. Faron I could understand; she's the younger bratty sister with power. Her older sister, Elara, sounded like she was the baby of the family, and it didn't sit well with her "soldier-like" character profile.

TBH, I danced between rating this book with either a 3 or 3.5 stars. I am still very interested in checking out the next book in the series, now that I know what to expect.

As far as young adult fantasy novels go, this was a pretty decent introduction to a new series. What I loved most about So Let Them Burn (and what piqued my interest in this book) was the incorporation of Caribbean culture into the setting and world building. In this debut novel, we follow two sisters; one is a warrior and the other desperately wants to no longer live in her sister’s shadows. This story is set in a Jamaican-inspired fantastical world, where racism and war ravage the countries. There is a fair amount of politicking taking place, as the backbone of everything that happens throughout the book stems from the after effects of a war that took place five years ago because of said racism. Without being spoilery, the magic system is founded in ancestral magic, where individuals are able to ‘call’ on the spirits of their ancestors to aid them in carrying out tasks (and to aid in fighting). There are also dragons and a dragon riding school! This story is told from the dual perspective of both sisters, one of which I enjoyed significantly more than the other. There were slight issues with the worldbuilding and some plot holes in the story, but I don’t think that they are unredeemable considering that this is the first book in the series. I do want to continue on with the rest of the books and I look forward to seeing where the author goes with these characters and this world!

What I loved:
✨Sisterly Bonds: Faron & Elara (our dual POVs) - I love these two. These sisters are fierce, strong, wise beyond their years, and determined to save their country and each other. I liked Elara’s character a *tiny* bit more because of her innate desire to help people with no voice, power, or chance in the world. But their bond makes me crave more sister stories! ❤️
✨ Heavy topics without feeling dense or hopeless: Colonialism, imperialism, the aftermath of war, and PTSD to name a few.
✨Cole’s writing: vivid, immersive, textured, and intense. She doesn’t overly complicate the world-building but provides enough history that the reader quickly becomes invested in the fight for San Irie. Even with a large cast, she fully develops each one of the characters. You can't help but fall in love with these badass sisters and the young orphaned Queen who is trying to save her island! Finally, Cole leaves the right amount of loose threads. I feel fully satisfied at the conclusion of Book One, but yet cannot wait for Book Two. Bravo! Excellent debut!!!

Other quick highlights: Jamaican Joan of Arc, sapphic romance subplot, demisexual character, dragons & their bonds with their riders, Gods and their true nature, and a fantastic ending!

WOW! An absolutely amazing debut by Kamilah Cole. Everything from the world building to the lore and the characters was so well done. I enjoyed the pace of the story and how the action really picked up about halfway through. Initially I thought maybe Elara secretly resented Faron but as time went on I began to see that wasn't the case at all. She just didn't like being cast in her little sister's shadow and wanted people to see her for her and what she could offer. It was deeply relatable. I also couldn't blame Faron at all for how she handled trying to save her sister's life and making the decisions she did even if it did lead to some very disastrous results. I'm a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope and the blossoming relationship between Faron and Reeve did NOT disappoint. The utter glee on my face when they finally kissed!!! Overall the story itself about a people fighting for their freedom and just trying to exist peacefully is one that will always need to be told and Kamilah Cole did such a beautiful job with it. I can't wait to see what comes next in this duology and from the author.

A great start that got disjointed. The concept was good but I would’ve liked to see more development in the characters and relationships. The worldbuilding was phenomenal, from the magic to the dragons and everything in between. I’m not a fan of cliffhangers and this book ended with one. The ending was great though. It’s well worth the read and I’d be interested to hear more thoughts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 4.5 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review!

So Let Them Burn follows two sisters after a brutal war is finally over. Faron, who became famous for channeling the power of the gods and end the war, and her older sister Elara, who wants to be remembered as more than the sister of Faron.

“As I said many suns ago, the two of you have the same soul. You both want to fight for something that you truly believe in.”

I love reading mythology books and add in dragons and you have a perfect recipe for an amazing story and this one did not disappoint!

The first thing that I noticed about this story was the really intriguing magic system! I loved the idea that they could channel their ancestors and access their powers to help them. It was a beautiful connection to one’s roots. I also really liked the philosophy behind it that those who are able to do this is because their soul isn’t whole and when bonding to a dragon, it becomes that.

The plot was very interesting as well. It was interesting to see the aftermath of a brutal war that went on for a long time and see how, even when the physical fighting has ended, it still takes a lot of healing. Add in the political unrest and it became a very layered plot, but at the same time it became a plot that kept my attention from start to finish!

I loved the sisters and especially the sibling bond between the two was beautiful to watch. Seeing them go the far distance for the other was beautiful and admirable to see, even if they made mistakes, they always acted in a way they thought would be best for both. I also loved seeing Faron’s growth, learning to let go of her anger and realising mistakes she made and consequences they can have. Also, Elara really accepting herself and starting to live for herself and not what is expected was awesome!

I liked the bond with the dragon, which made it rather fun to see that dynamic between the riders bloom as well. It made for a lot of fun moments and humour throughout the serious events that happened. Also, the romance that slowly bloomed for both sisters was nice to see.

The story was a bit predictable to me, the ending didn’t really take me by surprise as much as I would’ve liked. At the same time, I did think that this book was a standalone and with that ending, that just can’t be true haha. I will most definitely be checking out the sequel!

Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful world created in So Let Them Burn, the amazing cast of characters and intriguing magic system it has!

Interesting and compelling premise that explores the aftermath of a war fought by our main characters as children. A story of sisterhood and colonialism that involves dragons, I found the novel to be a fun read and look forward to seeing how Cole develops the world and mythology in the following book. I really adore stories that explore the tension present in relationships between siblings and this delivers.

This book skillfully delved into complex issues while delivering a captivating and thrilling narrative. It seamlessly incorporated numerous elements that I adore:
- Sister bonds
- Entrancing magical elements
-Dragons!
-Sapphic themes
-YA fantasy
- Jamaican influence
-Ace representation
-Strong BIPOC female main characters
-Slowburn lust
-Cliffhanger
I was utterly captivated by this book, and my sole grievance is the absence of a Kindle version. Reading it on my phone took much longer than it should have, but I plan to acquire a physical copy for a re-read before the second book's release!

Being the pretty cynical person I am, I'm wary when I see a lot of hype around a book, but upon starting this one, it became very clear very quickly that every ounce of hype it has is VERY deserved.

The prose is strong, commanding, captivating, and immediately drew me in, while the quick pacing kept me turning pages, and the twists had me gasping. The world is vibrant and fun, while simultaneously dealing with the heavy topics of the impact of war and imperialism in a thoughtful and nuanced manner. The characters are well fleshed-out, and their relationships with each other are equally fleshed-out, believable and compelling. (Honestly, the fact that I liked Faron as much as I liked Elara is a testament to the development of them both because Elara's character spoke so deeply to me on a personal level--the responsible lesbian older sister in her famous younger sibling's shadow helloooooo.)

There's a certain comforting familiarity to be found in the numerous big fantasy tropes to be found in this book (Chosen One, DRAGONS, etc), and yet, they're handled in such a fresh and thoughtful way that the book manages to feel both like a warm, familiar blanket, and something completely breathtakingly new.

Who should pick up this book: anyone and everyone who enjoys YA fantasy. Full stop.

This book was so good. The character relationships & plot twists & betrayals & young love, everything about this book was really good.

✨ Review ✨ So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole

FIVE Reasons to read So Let Them Burn
1. Like Fourth Wing but Feminist
2. Like Fourth Wing but Anti-Colonial
3. Like Fourth Wing but no dragon sex
4. Like Fourth Wing but Jamaican-inspired
5. Like Fourth Wing but deeper characters

Okay, but more seriously, this book reminded me a bit of Fourth Wing in its setup - young adult / new adult book about a girl/s and about dragons. There's a dragon academy and competing factions and love stories -- there are definite similarities here.

But it diverged pretty significantly in its themes and messaging. Faron and Elara grew up on San Irie which has long been colonized by the Langlish empire (which has dragons!) and others before it. Recently having fought for and having won their independence, San Irie is struggling to protect its territory and maintain this freedom. It all almost spins out of control though during a peace summit when there's a bit of a dragon incident. Oh yeah, and Faron is the Childe Empyrian, which means she can channel the power of the gods.

This book is slower to get going than Fourth Wing and maybe doesn't have that same Fourth Wing/ACOTAR binge-ability, but I found the messaging to be so much more meaningful here re: race and feminism and queer love and anti-colonialism. I also loved that the different regions had different systems of magic and power, and I'm excited to see how this plays out in the sequel.

All in all, if you love dragons and magic world-building and the Caribbean, give this book a shot!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Genre: YA fantasy
Setting: a fictional Jamaican-inspired island
Pub Date: Jan 16, 2024

Thanks to Little Brown, @TBRandBeyond, @wordsiren, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

4.5
Jamaican inspired YA fantasy telling a story of the immense power hood of sisterhood and friendship. Features divine magic, sentient dragons, soul bonded dragon riders and a wonderfully unique matriarchal society. This book was stunning! It did take a little while to get into. The pacing lagged a bit and a number of times I found paragraphs being repeated) but once I hit the halfway mark I was obsessed and couldn’t put it down. This richly imagined world truly reminded me so much of post-colonial Philippines and really hammered in the fact that across the world those who have and continue to experience oppression and colonization experience so many similarities. My heart ached beautifully reading Cole’s Powerful words. I loved the characters and their growths. Falling in love with Aveline’s character was a lovely surprise. And reading into Faron’s queerness was incredibly beautiful as well. The romance in this book was EVERYTHING. I can’t wait for the next! Fellow readers, just a heads up this ends in a cliffy.
(+) sapphic romance, demisexual MC, sapphic and achillean side characters, Jamaican-born author

If you’re looking for a YA fantasy stories with strong sisterhood as well as an epic world building that comes with dragons and magic then I suggest picking this one up!

Told in dual POVs, Elara and Faron are both sisters that lives in a post-war world where Faron as the child Empyrean saves her country but the peace didn’t last long when Elara was found bonded to a dragon from an enemy kingdom.

This story has an interesting magic system between summoning gods powers and also bonding with the dragons. Having both POVs really work out great here so we could see how each powers work differently.

There’s also a slight romance blooming throughout the story for both Elara and Faron, but I’m more interested in Faron’s love interest though especially after that ending.
I can’t wait to know what will happen to them both in the next book!

Overall, this is a great start for a series.
I’m looking forward to read the sequel cause I would like to explore more about the world building and know more about the dragons!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Violence, war, colonization, death, blood, racism, brief mention of slavery and panic attacks

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are my own.

This started off really good but I found as I got further into it I wasn't loving the style of writing. It didn't flow very well and it made it hard to read.

This book was flawless. The representation was amazing, the POVs were great and fun to be in, the sisterly bond was clear and the conflict felt true. This was a page turner and I sat and blew through it in one sitting. I couldn't stop.

To start this review I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC. I received it in exchange for an honest opinion and review.

Now, let’s jump in.

I loved this book. This is a Jamaican-inspired fantasy with dragons and ancestor magic and I adored it. The writing was great, the worldbuilding was fantastic and it sucked me in from the beginning.

We follow two point of view characters, Faron and Elara. Elara is the older sister. Both of them fought in the war that won their home, San Irie, its independence from the colonizing Langley Empire. The Langley Empire used dragons to subdue San Irie and the destruction that was left in their wake was immense.

Here’s the thing, Faron and Elara were literal children when they fought in the way because it’s been over for 5 years. They’re like 17 and 18 years old. 12 and 13 fighting for their country. Even their queen is a teenager. She’s 19.

Faron can channel the magic of the gods. She is the Child Empyrean and is essentially worshipped by the people of San Irie. Only now she has all this power and ability but there’s no fight.

Elara wants to make a name for herself without being the Child Empyrean’s sister.

And then there’s Reeve Warwick. The son of the leaders of the Langley Empire. He defected, turned traitor to his own people because what they were doing was wrong. He went to the people of San Irie to help and now that the war is over, he is hated. A walking, living reminder of the suffering the people have endured.

These characters are complicated and complex. The relationships between them all is something I really enjoyed reading and experiencing. They were written so well.

I love the complicated nature of how everyone feels on the island. The fear, anger, exhaustion and hurt. The way they don’t know what to do with it now that they’re free. Because when a war ends, there is no just moving forward. When people have crushed others under their thumb, they can’t just go on as business as usual.

There are wounds to heal, to the people and the land. And the people that have been thrown off never sit back quietly afterward. Sometimes there’s lasting peace held together by treaties and the facade of respect.

Other times, the oppressor wants what they think is their. Wants it badly because “how dare they?” And that is the Langley Empire. They may come to the peace summit but it’s all for show. They have no respect for the people of San Irie or the queen.

There’s also queer characters. And for all the awful things that the characters go through, queerphobia isn’t one of them. It was so beautiful to see it just accepted. Letting the characters just be who they were.

It was so good. It was beautifully told and I can’t wait for the next book in the series because I was hooked until the last word.

It gets 4/5 from me just because there were some things I didn’t quite like but the pacing was fantastic. I was never bored. I truly think everyone should read this book. And now that it’s out, do yourself the favor and buy it.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to TBR & Beyond book tours and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for the arc.

After hearing amazing things I was so excited for this book and I am so happy I picked it up. This is a beautiful YA debut set in a Jamaican inspired world that combats colonization and is just beautifully diverse and a stunning world. This is one of the best if not the best YA debut I have read in years. I don’t pick up YA fantasy much anymore but when I saw the authors that had given blurbs for this I knew it would be amazing.

Faron Vincent is able to channel the power of the gods. Five years prior she used her powers to liberate her island from its oppressors, the dragon riding Langley Empire. But now at seventeen Faron is stuck with amazing powers and no war to fight, instead she has to show off just enough to show they are a powerful nation but not too much that they are a threat. When she and her sister are forced to attend the international peace summit, neither of them ever expected Elara, her sister, to be bonded to a dragon. When Faron attempts to find a way to free her sister from the Langley Empire she has to make choices that she never wanted to make. She has to learn what it is like to be a legend on her island after the war is finished.

We see so many books with the chosen one plot line across all age ranges and all genres but this is one of the best I've seen. It shows what it is like after the Chosen one completes their task, and it isn’t all happily ever after. Faron and her sister Elara face a lot of real struggles still even though the war is technically over. Faron was only 12 when she was granted these powers and is still learning what it means to have them. Elara wants to make something for herself outside of her sister’s shadow but when she becomes a dragon rider everything changes.

I highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to continue the series and see where Kamilah Cole goes in the future as I know it will be amazing.

This is such a solid read! It has queer representation, but it is not the focal point of the story; just a casual part of it. That is very refreshing. I really enjoyed this.

It follows a pair of sisters. Faron, blessed by the gods; the Childe Empyrean. The other, Elara, simply wants to be a soldier and protect her country. However, fate had a different path for Elara.

There are so many twists in this book. I didn't want to put it down! It has such great world building, an interesting magic-esque system (not all magic is created equally- not everyone can do everything. It's all based on who you are, your ancestors, and your culture), and a very cohesive plot.