The war is finally over but the kindlings that were used as weapons are left without a purpose. There is still violence everywhere and when a village is threatened, a group of kindlings believe it is time to fight again. Being raised to be a weapon has changed them in many ways … what suffering will they need to overcome to be successful? How many will come out of this quest alive?

Kindling is a stand-alone Fantasy novel that is full of action and adventure. The characters push through various obstacles and learn from each other along the way. This is a book of moderate length, yet it felt like a short, fast read. There are a few unnecessary “sexual” scenes, but nothing too racy. Chee takes issues that are relevant even now and puts a wonderful fantasy spin on them. A strong read for all fantasy fans.

A rare case where I chose not to post my review to Goodreads because I don't want to do the author a disservice. I'm not mad about the book and I don't think people need to be warned away from it, but I really did not enjoy it, and it took months for me to finally finish it. I thought the description of the world and the story sounded fascinating, so I was disappointed when I realized it was just another rote retelling of Seven Samurai. I didn't see enough distinction between the characters, who all had different backstories and arcs, but all had the exact same narrative voice, packed with parentheticals and short one-sentence paragraphs and the exact same kind of choppy inner monologue. I found the second-person style and the staccato writing unsatisfying and hard to fall into. Finishing this one felt like work instead of like a pleasure or an adventure.

I was sort of sold at Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven on this book. I really enjoy both of those movies, but if I had known that this was going to be 2nd person with multiple POVs, I never would have asked for an ARC of it. So, sorry to Netgalley and the publisher, but I can't finish it. I have this problem where my brain tries to rewrite books in the 2nd into 3rd or occasionally 1st person, this one made my brain want to do both because of the multiple POVs. It was like, "Who is the I?" I still pushed through about 20% trying to get my brain to play along, but eventually I stopped because the headache got too unbearable.

So, you're asking me why I pushed even to that point, right? I found the characters and the world-building to be interesting. They're not that old, but they have an underlayer of grittiness to them. An underlayer that made me question whether or not this would have been more successful as an adult fantasy. So, I tried because I wanted to know the story. I wanted to know more about the characters. I found the idea compelling. I just can't get around the 2nd person POV. I think if you can do that, this will be an interesting read. I have a few other books by Traci Chee on my TBR and this hasn't put me off them. I know at least one of them is not in 2nd so... Please don't let my personal struggles with 2nd put you off of it if it sounds interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this novel, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have to mention the long dashes. A few times would be atmospheric. But adding them on every page, like in this book, is just distracting.

I liked the writing, it was quirky. The characters were interesting. This wasn’t the book for me but I appreciate the attempt to do something different from the usual mold.

Queer, beautiful, and devastating. KINDLING is easily a new favorite that I will be recommending to anyone who will listen. The descriptions of war are heart-wrenching, but the characters insistence that everyone around them are okay with the Kindling sacrificing themselves again and again and again is the toughest part to reckon with.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this ARC- Starting off the new year right with a great read!

This book set me on fire and I said thank you.

This reminded me how good YA can be when it uses fantasy framework to explain the complexity of teenagers involvement ans recruitment into war.

Each perspective in this novel gives a new facet to an interesting and poignant post-war world.

The simplicity of the book's plot/ mission is elevated through the cast of characters taking it on. That's a testament to how gripping each character is- and the second person perspective writing is just *chef's kiss* excellent.

Unlike a lot of novels where the chapter alternates perspective, this one is able to successfuly push a narrative while still utilizing the background and expositionary information of each character without it feeling boring or irrelevant.

It's heartbreaking and a rare jewel of a novel.

I love it when authors play around with narrative forms, and Traci Chee has taken a gamble that I really think paid off. The majority of the book is in second person pov, meaning you is used as the main pronoun. In a case with several pov characters, this can be confusing, but each chapter has the pov character stated in the title, so as long as you keep that in mind, it's fairly easy to keep track of. The use of second pov provides a bit of distance from the characters, which I felt worked great given the majority of them are traumatized former child soldiers. The plot is solid and interesting, but it's really the characters that take center stage, Chee does a fantastic job of giving them all a chance to shine. This is a fascinating and emotional read, and while I can see some readers being turned of by the strange pov, I do think that if they stick it out, they'll love this book.

As a fan of #TraciChee, I was excited about this ARC. I am not familiar with The Seven Samurai or The Magnificent Seven, but readers do not need to know about them to appreciate #Kindling. The story follows seven "Kindling," child soldiers who have magic; these children were used as weapons of war, a war that has now ended. They are no longer allowed to use their magic, but that may also have saved their lives as using magic "burns them out," leading to death at a young age. When a village comes under attack, one of the Kindling seeks out a band of wandering others to help fight against marauders. With there being seven characters, the story is a little hard to follow at first. And the story begins at a slower pace, more character driven. However, the last third is full of excellent action sequences, mixing together weaponry and magic as well as heartfelt character moments. This is a good purchase for high school libraries that like Traci Chee books, action, and fantasy. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC.

I’m just going to put this out there face value: if you chose to read this book, the 2nd Person narration that permiates from page 1-page 300 really is going to make or break this book for you.

Having read most of Traci Chee’s backlist up until this point, I can confidently say that her books are very much Bold in every sense of the word. There’s almost always a level of uniqueness to her books that I appreciate -- whether it be the multi-timeline fourth wall breaking Reader Trilogy, The oral-like quality of narration from A Thousand Steps, or the whopping 14 POV’S in We Are Not Free. Whenever you crack one of her books, you’re never going to get the same book twice.

However, I think for certain that while her biggest bright spot in her books are the premises, her downfall really is the execution.

I think it was certainly bold of Chee to use 2nd person narration, as I had never really read a piece of fiction –- much less YA Fiction -- that had 1 (much less 7) POV characters use the same style to tell their stories. It certainly helps in getting across the emotion of it all, as we’re not necessarily following the very beginning of their story (I.E how they’re put into the Kindling army, how their trained, how they go through battles) but rather a new avenue in which these characters are taking after having been through war and trauma, and where it might lead them. We start at the end of the story, and that’s certainly a unique choice for a book about child soldiers, I think Chee really holds her own when it comes to never talking the beaten path when it comes to her stories.

However, I do have to agree with the vast majority of voices and say that the 2nd person narration limits a lot of what the story could so with a normal 1st person or 3rd person POV. There were multiple times where one character’s POV would end and another would start, but the type of narrator never felt different. (also if i have to read 'lets be honest' one more time i will scream) There were no distinctive markers that told us that another character has taken over. A lot of this book felt someone was telling me a story, and not in a good way, and it all hinges on the POV.

Most of the characters weren’t all that interesting (save for one, and as in almost every book she writes Chee decides to axe the most interesting character instead of making them the main character) and the romances were kind of very plain.

There’s a note from the author that talks about Chee’s love for Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven, and the notion of children banding together to right the mistakes of the past. I can very much say that you can feel the love in this book. Chee’s book are almost always a love letter to something, and that’s really what draw me to her books, regardless of whether they always hit.
3.5 stars.

This is one of those books that lingers. It reaches in your soul and makes you examine life from new angles--angles you didn't know you needed to add to your life. This book is gritty and violent and horrifying and beautiful and heartbreaking. It is so many things tied with a ribbon you keep close to your heart.

The book features second person point of views throughout and multiple PoVs that are a little difficult to navigate at the beginning (but that you wouldn't miss for the world by the end of the book). It has a whole main cast of LBGTQ+ characters, including someone who is transgender that will quickly become your favorite character.

This is a story about loss, about death, about trauma, about societally acceptable child soldiers who are used and discarded apathetically for their magic, who are used as tools to further an end and then promptly discarded.

This is a story that looks at the mess and chaos of what it means to be a soldier, what it means to be a veteran, and rolls up its figurative sleeves to show you the heart of it. This is a story that doesn't shy away from what's inside, that doesn't shy away from what that level of trauma does to a person, a child, a people.

This story has been strong Remember the Alamo and Magnificent Seven vibes. This book is definitely NOT a book for children, and I would even go so far as to say it's not for teenagers either. I feel like it takes a lot of life to get through this book to the other side, and if you haven't dealt with your own trauma, this story is not for you. If you haven't had trauma inducing experiences yourself, and especially if you are a teenager who hasn't had trauma inducing experiences, this book is not for you. It will leave you scarred and broken while offering a small ray of hope at the end.

Content Warning:
F/F explicit s*x
GRAPHIC violence
Child abuse
Child soldiers
Slow painful death with each use of magic
Death
Heart wrenching loss
Alcoholic, alcohol to ease mental anguish

Themes:
What it means to have a home.
Love after loss
Second chances
Trauma healing
Fighting in spite of trauma and pain
Opening up to love and hope again
Boromir call back scene


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of this book.

I've always been a fan of Traci Chee and this story was no exception! I always have my doubts about stand-alone fantasies because I just can't imagine fitting an entire world and story into one volume, but this was great! This was a co0l world, with interesting and well-plotted story beats, and really compelling characters! Another great story from Traci Chee, and I cannot wait for even more from this author!

I have been such a fan of every Traci Chee book I've read and Kindling was exactly what I wanted out of one of her books. I love standalone fantasies, I think it can be difficult to fit an entire world in just 400+ pages, but Kindling does an excellent job of just that. If you're itching to read a new fantasy without being tied down to a series, check this one out.

i don’t know but i couldn’t really get into the book. it was interesting just maybe not for me.

thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC

3.5 stars. The best word to describe this book is unique. The use of second-person POV is a bold choice, and while it brings a unique perspective to the narrative, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. Juggling seven POV characters all told in second person got confusing pretty fast, making it challenging to establish a strong connection with each character. The constant switching disrupted the flow of the story and made it harder to immerse myself fully, which is too bad because the characters were interesting. Pretty much everyone important is a woman or nonbinary, too. Lots of sapphic vibes. Another stylistic issue I encountered was the author's excessive use of dashes. While they can be effective for emphasis or interjections, their frequent presence disrupts the reading experience, making sentences feel disjointed. On the positive side, Chee successfully crafts an atmosphere that draws readers in and keeps them engaged. The story, despite being nominally fantasy, primarily revolves around the theme of trauma, and I appreciated the depth and exploration of this topic. It adds a layer of relatability and emotional resonance to the narrative. While the plot reveals were also predictable, the story's exploration of trauma and its emotional depth make it worth a read for those seeking a more personal and introspective fantasy narrative.





Regenerate

I had this problem with Traci Chee's other book, Thousand Steps Into the Night. I just can't read it. I love the concept, I love Traci's Sea of Ink and Gold series, but for some reason the first chapters cannot hook me. Pushing through them feels like walking through quicksand, whereas I read The Reader and its sequels with ease. I don't know why this is but Traci's writing is still good and I still feel like I'm the problem when it comes to her newer books.

Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

I honestly picked this book up because of the cover, at the same time wanted to give a try to read the author's book. ALSO THIS BOOK ABOUT WAR! SO I WONT MISS IT! YET I'm not disappointed regarding the book; I'm just bored during a few chapters and had to stop reading a while. Since the character development is likewise lacking, I don't feel driven to finish this book immediately. BUT I FINISHED IT! however, altogether, worth a try! especially if you enjoy with an Asian-based story.

A quote from Traci Chee's book Kindling appearing in white text on a charcoal gray and red gradient background. From bestselling and award-winning author Traci Chee comes a standalone fantasy set against a war-ravaged. introduced to the film Seven Samurai (1954) and its American counterpart.

From bestselling and award-winning author Traci Chee comes a standalone fantasy set against a war-ravaged world where kindling warfare—the use of elite, magic-wielding teenage soldiers—has been outlawed.

If you love Y.A. Fantasy, you will love this book. Perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Namina Forna. Full of great characters, girl power, and a very interesting world/magic system.

This was such a good read! I was fully sucked into the story right away and I really enjoyed the characters. The journey the author took these characters on was exciting and unique which is something I am really interested in with books now. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

As a fan of The Magnificent Seven, I was so excited to hear Traci Chee was writing a YA fantasy based on it, and I'm so glad to say it did not disappoint!

At first the second person POV did throw me off a bit, but once you get into the story, it becomes so easy to get it. All these traumatized characters working together, unable to look at themselves directly. So beautiful. And the prose is just as beautiful and moves fluidly.

Highly rec it to all fantasy fans.