Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books for providing me with an eARC of The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start off by saying this is one of those books that makes me hate the goodreads rating options (and how there is no half-star option), because this book was such a 4.5 star rating for me. Not quite a perfect 5 star but so close, and definitely up there as a top read of the year and deserving of a 4.5. However, goodreads makes me choose between a 4 and a 5 star rating and that’s criminal. Right now, my rating is sitting at a 4 but the more I think about it, the more unfair that seems, so that may change to a 5 star once I sit on it a bit more. The audiobook narrators were also just revealed and they’re *everything* so I might have to do a re-read when it releases and that may help me define my rating.

The Dagger and the Flame was a deliciously addicting YA (NA) Fantasy Romance by Catherine Doyle. It was a true enemies to lovers and I thoroughly appreciated that. You have an almost Romeo and Juliet situation with the Cloaks and the Daggers of Fantome, the Thieves and the Assassins, respectively. This book also gave me vibes of The Mortal Instruments with a sprinkle of Shadow and Bone. There is also an underlying mystery to the plot that does a good job helping to propel the story forward.

I really enjoyed both of our main characters. They both had interesting backstories and felt like well-fleshed out POV’s. The banter was great and the enemies to lovers was real and not just a couple-page trope. And yes, of course you also get the dagger to the neck trope. Lots of tension, the vibes were immaculate. To note, this book does sway closer to the NA side with a spice level of about 1 chili pepper, subjectively speaking.

Since we get two POV’s, there’s a good amount of side characters throughout the book, and I thought they were all well done. I enjoyed many of the side characters but there was one group that gave off major found family vibes, and I loved that.

The thing I hated most about this book was definitely that we don’t yet have an announcement for book 2, so I will be wallowing in my sorrow for who knows how long, waiting for the release. Overall, this book was a very strong start to the City of Fantome series and I highly recommend people pick this one up.

The Dagger and the Flame offers up an initially engaging tale that soon gets bogged down by a magic system and world that didn't feel unique enough to offer up something fresh. Two guilds are at each other's throats. One is a group of thieves, another a gaggle of assassins. The magic is also shadow based and ultimately doesn't feel super inventive when it comes to other fantasy books. Also, the book tries really hard to make the act of thievery sound really epic and new by calling simple pickpocketing Sleights and robbing businesses as Heists. Capitalizing the first letter of the word doesn't necessarily make it new and exciting. Also, the guilds feel so similar yet the two can't do each other's crafts. Can the thieves not kill people like the assassins or can the assassins not loot some spoils like the thieves can? Nope. When searching for my next big steal of a story, this one just didn't kill it for me.

I immediately liked this book. The prologue was interesting and then it progressed from there. I really liked Sera. For everything she'd been through, she was able to still make friends and also was all out for vengeance with Ransom.

This is an enemies-to-lovers romance, but almost rivals-to-lovers too since they are in different (and opposite) orders. The reason it makes it enemies to lovers, though, is because Sera thinks Ransom killed her mother. While she's supposed to be in the order that only thieves and does not kill, she is willing to make the exception for him. This made for interesting interactions between Sera and Ransom as they figure out what is truly going on in their city and their connection. There is some good tension between them and some good bantering here-and-there (the letter "passing" was my favorite). Of course, gotta love a woman with a knife too! I liked how their relationship progressed without it being insta-lust and moved in a way that felt natural.

Romance aside, I enjoyed the mystery/plot of the story too. We don't know what Sera's history is. We don't know where the shadow beings are coming from, who they are, or how to stop them. It was a great way to get the two Orders working with each other while still being wary of each other. I liked the pace of the story and thought it worked well. There was never too long of a lull, but there was enough action throughout to keep you interested too.

The end...Sigh. I knew it was coming, but still! While we solve the shadow monsters and Sera's history, Sera and Ransom end up having to make a decision about where their loyalties lie. It's not a painful cliffhanger, but it's the end of one story and the start of another. Not sure where we'll see Sera and Ransom in book 2, but I will for sure read it to find out!

I've loved Catherine Doyle's previous work so I was excited to hear about her writing a new romantasy book. This book reminded me of why I love the fantasy genre. It's a true enemies-to-lovers story with a fun magic system and a high-stakes plot. A great start to a series and I look forward to reading the next book!
Thank you Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC!

The Dagger and the Flame is a story that follows Seraphine and Ransom, two teenagers in rival Orders within the city of Fantome. Sera is a farmgirl who takes refuge with the Cloaks when her mother is murdered. Ransom is the Dagger who is ordered to kill her. In the city, there are two controllers of shade magic- a scarce and deadly resource -the cloaks and the daggers, the thieves and assassins. The main rule that both gangs follow is that each group doesn’t kill those in the other. Seraphine and Ransom find themselves drawn together, though, when monsters begin attacking the city and they must decide what matters most to them!

This book was not a bad read at all! I really enjoyed the connections of the characters and their friendships on each side! I also felt like the magic system was very unique and awesome, I wanted to see more of it! I also enjoyed that both main characters were actual enemies and not pretend! The dog was a very cute sidekick in the story as well!

I felt like the pacing was off at some parts in the book and the spice level was teased a a lot but not actually happening! The lack of physical interaction between the characters was kind of a letdown for me..

As a whole, it was a fun story to read! I will definitely read the next book in the series!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


3.5 ⭐️

The Dagger and the Flame is a DUAL POV story that follows Seraphine and Ransom, two teenagers in rival Orders within the city of Fantome. Seraphine has joined the Order of the Cloaks, a group of thieves, after the death of her mother. Ransom has been with the Order of the Daggers, a group of ruthless killers, since he was a boy. The rule? Each group doesn’t kill those in the other. However, this rule is abandoned when Ransom is instructed to kill Seraphine. The two find themselves drawn together, though, when monsters begin attacking the city and they must decide what matters most to them.

This ended up being just an alright book to me. There were several things I enjoyed but the parts I didn’t really dragged down my enjoyment. I loved the relationships that each of the main characters had with their respective order members. I wish we could have seen more interactions with them but I expect that’ll be more present in the next installment. I also enjoyed that Ransom and Seraphine were actual enemies and not pretend enemies like I tend to see with the enemies to lovers trope. The pup sidekick was also cute. I thought the magic system was also very unique, but I would have loved to have seen more of it!

Speaking of wanting more, one area I felt this novel was lacking in was the world building. Again, I’m hoping this is addressed in the next installment as we see our characters begin to venture out. I also thought the middle of this book had pacing issues and scenes that didn’t feel really relevant to the plot. Again, speaking to not relevant to the plot, the one random spicy scene in the middle of a literal monster attack??? What was that??? It felt so out of place and really made me cringe with how little physical interactions that the two main characters had had up to that point.

Overall, a fun and quick read. There was enough good that makes me want to pick up the next installment. I think younger YA fans will enjoy this one.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book lives up to everything I’ve ever wanted for a true enemies-to-lovers fantasy book. The characters begin as true enemies and although they do eventually become lovers, there is a very long journey to get there that really shows how they struggle with the conflicts of even talking to each other because they are on opposite sides. Once they finally do start talking to each other, they continue to question their decisions and have series doubts about each other. This is what makes an enemies-to-lovers book in my opinion, and the author executed it beautifully.

On the plot side of things, the only thing people might find issue with is that it is a very long book, and so it naturally has some slow bits, although they’re mostly the world building at the beginning. However, I was engaged for every page of this book, and I cannot wait for the next in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The initial chapters of the book progressed somewhat slowly, as they involved mainly world-building. But around 30% in, I was completely hooked by Ransom and Seraphine. Their dynamic was so much fun to read, especially their banter (I loved the banter between them). The world and magic system were refreshingly unique. I can’t wait to dive back into this world! If you’re a fan of unique magic systems, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, animal sidekicks, and rival gangs, you’ll definitely enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!!

I am utterly obsessed. This is the first time in a long time that an enemies to lovers, were in fact, ENEMIES. I really loved the world building and the story behind the Cloaks and Daggers. I did find Seraphine to be a little insufferable at times, but she starts as a somewhat naive girl, so this makes sense. I loved Ransom's points of view, I always found myself looking forward to them. Overall, I cannot wait to see where the rest of this story goes. Hands down one of my favorites from this year's reads so far.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I can't believe I didn't know this was book one in a series, and now I'm left with an amazing cliffhanger while I wait for book two! Ransom and Sera were very interesting and unique characters. I didn't know how I would feel reading about assassins in a fantasy novel where the danger level feels higher but I think it was pulled off well and their dynamic added to the story through the book. Their enemies to lovers to enemies scenes were fun and I liked their banter. At times it felt too star crossed lovers for me but I enjoyed the read throughout.

In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy guilds: the Cloaks and the Daggers—the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, eighteen-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city?
Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farm girl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before. As the Cloaks and the Daggers grapple for control of Fantome’s underworld, Sera and Ransom are consumed by the push and pull of their magic…and the deadly spark and terrible vengeance that keeps drawing them back together.

I've been diving into more and more fantasy and this one was such a quick read for me. Once I started, I had to know how it was going to end, and now I am left with a cliffhanger that I will nurse till I can read book two.
After losing her mom, Sera is left to seek refuge with the Cloaks, as her mother told her to do if anything ever happened to her. She is hiding her true identity and is also being hunted by a Dagger. Ransom was taken in at the age of 10 by a man he thinks of as a father now. He will do almost anything to stay in his good graces, but he is having a hard time eliminating his mark. He's not sure why, but he wants to kiss her instead of what he is supposed to do and this leads them both into danger.
I really liked the push and pull with Ransom and Sera, there was an awkward intimate scene in a place where it was confusing to me, but all in all I really enjoyed the twists and the turns of the story. I will absolutely be picking up the next book because the ending left me pretty angry because some of the characters I thought were good, turned out to not be. I really need to know how this is going to play out!
Thank you to Simon and Schuster, Netgalley and Catherine Doyle for an early copy.

**Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.**

After the assassination of her mother by the Order of Daggers, Sera flees her home and seeks sanctuary in the city of Fantome with the Daggers' rival gang, the Order of Cloaks. There, Sera focuses on becoming a thief in order to earn her place among the Cloaks, while also plotting her revenge on her mother's murderer and learning the dark secrets her mother was hiding. But when she comes face to face with Ransom, the heir to the Daggers, she finds her world shifting again.

I loved the Romeo and Juliet/rival gangs/star-crossed lovers aspect of this story. I also appreciated that this was true enemies to lovers - there was no insta-love, and their attraction to each other grew throughout the story as they fought, bantered, and learned more about each other. Both main characters are wonderfully complex, with lots of backstory to unpack.

This was a wonderful first book in the series, and I can't wait to see where the author takes it!

Read if you like:
Enemies to lovers
Found family
Doggy sidekicks
Revenge
Magic and monsters
Dual POV

*ARC provided by NetGalley- thank you!

As a whole, I really enjoyed this story, it felt like a strong first book to a series, and I am really looking forward to book 2.

We have dual pov from rival groups, banter, tension, found family, interesting magic, monsters, and a lot of secrets to uncover. All of the characters had back stories and/or traumas to make them who they were rather than just being that way.
The world wasn't talked about as much as I would have liked as we stay very focused on the particular city only, but it is hinted A LOT that the city sucks and everyone wishes to venture elsewhere, so maybe the series will dive into it more later as it becomes relevant.

I love a story that makes me wait and keep reading to uncover secrets, but in this case I felt like I just didn't know enough to care in the beginning. I don't know if it was everything happening at once (being dropped into mother being dead, fleeing to somewhere she doesn't know, to meet people we don't know, in a world being built to us all at the same time) but I felt a little lost and detached from the story.
I was hoping to get more out of the middle of the book- what happens is crucial to the arch of the story and its characters, but it felt a bit drawn out at times. Some things were over described or described multiple times- I found myself skimming a lot to get to more interesting matters.
I did quite enjoy the ending though. The last of the secrets come out, jaws drop, everything is falling into place, tensions are breaking (both good and bad). It was somehow a happy ending and a sad ending?

Overall, I think it has potential to be a really good interesting series and this book sets that up well- just wish it hadn't been so long/drawn out.

Thank you NetGalley + The Publisher for this copy ! <3

It took me a while to get into this one I have to admit but after you get through the first few chapters.. it gets VERY GOOD !

The writing style is so descriptive, and the world building is so captivating!
This is my first read from the author and now I want to read more of her stuff !

The duo POV’s was so interesting especially bc this is told in 3rd person instead of first and i honestly enjoyed it ! It definitely felt different compared to anything else !
You are getting The Dagger and The Flames story told from both of them !

I don’t want to give to much away but the chemistry between Seraphine , and Ransome is soooo good ! You can feel the angst and lust !! THE CONVERSATIONS HAD ME GIGGLING AND KICKING UP MY FEET !

Despite all the odd’s that they are both faced with in life I like that they are both characters who don’t feel sorry for themselves, or one another! They are both strong and independent and I loved that so much !

The magic system in this is also my favorite!
It’s so unique, and the whole rival groups was so fun !

I definitely enjoyed this so much , and I can’t wait to get a physical copy !

2.75 stars

I had high hopes for this one. It has so many things I love: enemies to lovers romance, tension and a fantasy world, but I ended up being disappointed. What's frustrating to me about this book is that I had no idea what I was getting into. I did not expect this story to have excessive strong language and graphic sexual content. This book should be classified and marketed as New Adult.

Initially, I wanted to read this book because of how much I've enjoyed the Twin Crown series, which the author co-writes. I follow the author on Instagram, and from what I can tell, she's been very tight-lipped about this new series. I mistakenly assumed The Dagger and the Flame would be similar in tone and style to Twin Crowns, but it is not the case.

This book is told in dual perspective, third person narrative, following Seraphine and Ransom. I love a story with a dual point of view, especially if they're love interests. With a plethora of YA stories using first person, The Dagger and the Flame's third person narrative makes the story both refreshing and more challenging to connect with the characters. I loved Ransom. He is the best character and highlight of the entire story. I loved seeing his growth, his struggle with his trauma and feelings for Seraphine evolve. His chapters were very well done and by far the most interesting to read.

Sera's character is contrast is flat and bland. I can't really tell you what her personality is. She reads more as an archetype of Feyre than a character. I didn't like her and I couldn't connect to her at all, but it's possible the third-person narrative might have had something to do with this. She had no real character growth. She's incredibly selfish and uses people. She gets all the benefits of being a cloak without actually having to be one. There is one part that especially frustrated me. Sera wonders why her childhood friend, whom she thinks of more as a boy toy, hasn't come looking for her. Girl, you really expect him to come looking for you in a city where he's either going to be robbed or killed???

Speaking of world building, I can't imagine any normal person living in the city of Fantome. Apart from the cloaks and daggers, there are no other interactions with any other city dwellers apart from a few brief mentions. For me, it made it hard for me to dispend my belief that anyone would willingly live here under the threat of robbery and murder.

The romance didn't work for me. It's completely lust driven. I needed a lot more swoon. There is one romantic moment in the book that I really, really loved. It's sweet and swoon-worthy. There's yearning, and it just made me so excited for the rest of the romance in the book. But after that scene, the romance takes a sharp nose dive into lust and self-gratification. One thing I thought was a little funny was how many of the secondary characters made multiple remarks on how badly the two main characters want to sleep with each other, almost like plot was using it as a count-down. How many times can someone mention it before it happens? And when it does happen, it's in an alley via hand job when there are monsters literally around the corner. I just need more from a romance in order to be invested in it.

Overall, the story is decent. It did hold my attention. I do think the first half of the book is stronger than the second. The ending is decent. There's plenty of conflict and setup for the sequel. I think I spy a love triangle in the near future.

Content: numerous uses of the F-word and other language, alcohol use, violence including choking, death, sexual references, one open door sex scene similar in spice level to ACOTAR 1

Many thanks to Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! What an epic story I really like the Romeo and Juliet parallel with the different families. I am definitely going to be purchasing a physical copy of my own!

If you are looking for an enemies to lovers YA romantasy LOOK NO FURTHER!! The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle has exactly what you’re looking for — a lovable animal companion, main characters trying to kill each other then eventually falling in love, dual POV of our female & male MCs, morally grey folks all around, a unique magic system, TOP TIER CHEEKY BANTER and fascinating world building.

This book is a beautiful set up for the series and leaves us wanting MORE MORE MORE - so beware that you are about to become invested!! There are so many fun side characters along with our main characters that keep the story interesting & we’ve got jaw dropping twists and turns.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Simon Teen for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback - this book was a lot of fun & I hope I’ll be considered for an ARC when the next installment in the series comes out. I also look forward to reading more from the author ◡̈

This was a really exciting start to a new fantasy series! The world building and magic system were great and I loved the light vs. dark magic aspect and the opposing Orders of thieves and assassins. This was a true enemies to lovers and I adored Seraphine and Ransom and their slow burn romance full of banter and sometimes stabbing.

The side characters made this even better, most notably Sera’s lovable three legged animal companion. The ending was super action packed and I appreciated how certain things were wrapped up nicely while also setting the stage for future events. I will be anxiously waiting to see what comes next for Sera and Ransom!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dagger and the Flame follows two POVs on opposite sides of a generations-long rivalry for the magical underbelly of a city: the daggers, who use magical (and deadly) Shade to complete assassinations for hire, and the Cloaks, who wear their Shade in clothing that helps them commit thefts & heists.

The worldbuilding in this is a little sparse, and some things don’t make a lot of sense (why is the king okay with thieves? why can’t assassins also steal? why is this entire city seemingly empty of every character except the named characters in the plot 95% of the time?) and there are a slew of side characters that are meant to add interest, depth, additional plot lines, etc but really don’t get fleshed out. We know the most about Ransom’s relationship with Lark and Nadia—not a ton, but a little—but Sera’s found family team just instantly assembles itself. The plot is also reasonably predictable BUT not 100% and not more so than other YA fantasy. I would actually say this is a little less hand-holding, plot wise, than many other YA fantasies and I appreciated that.

However, what I really liked was the relationship between Ransom and Sera. Its enemies to lovers in a way that it makes a ton of sense for them to be enemies, but also not so deep that it makes no sense for them to change their minds. The banter is funny & works, which is so refreshing after reading a bunch of romantasy books this year where “banter” is just two people insulting and cursing at one another. I liked the build up of the relationship.

I do kind of wish this were a standalone. I thought we were headed in that direction until the last few chapters and I feel like it could have been wrapped up without a need to take the story further. I will be picking up book 2 though.

The Dagger and the Flame
by: Catherine Doyle

My rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

An action packed adventure filled with magic and mystery, this YA Romantasy was a fast paced and easy read! A bit predictable if you’re not new to the genre, and I found it to be one dimensional at times.

A must read if you like:
🗡️ Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Dual POV
🗡️ Twisty Plot
🔥 Animal Sidekick

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.