As a long-awaited conclusion to a fantastic fantasy series, this book could not come soon enough. That being said, I ended up having mixed feelings about The Ending Fire.

I loved, loved, loved The Final Strife and The Battle Drum. Naturally, there are so many reasons to also love the final installment. El-Arifi was not slacking with her beautiful writing style, and the characters, settings, and motivations are fully fleshed out. She did a good job with the character arcs--mostly. Jond receives a well-deserved comeback, Hassa remains a badass, and Anoor crashes and burns while letting herself be sucked into a human-sacrificing cult. However, Sylah gets put on the backburner. I expected to see more from Sylah, but instead her only purpose in this book is making (or actually just supervising) a bloodwerk eru that doesn't even end up serving its purpose. A disappointing showing for Sylah's arc. Another sticking point for me was the ending, which felt rushed and a little too easily wrapped up. Overall, there was nothing significant to complain about, but it felt like The Ending Fire was missing the spark of the first two books.

To console myself about the end of a very excellent series (overall), I'll just go back and reread the first two books ad infinitum.

3.5/5 stars

El-Arifi proved her skill through her beautiful writing and incredible, thoughtful world-building with complicated characters…. ugh this trilogy!!! 10/10 no notes

Thought the last book was just ok. It was missing some of the emotional distraught/weight I expected given the events of the last book. I enjoyed the last part of the book the most. The author switched up the POVs and it made for a much more enjoyable and layered read. Plus I loved the chapter through Rascal’s POV.

The battle part itself felt a bit rushed. Overall I liked the trilogy but was expected more of the last book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

The Ending Fire marks the final chapter in Saara El-Arifi’s visionary trilogy, where the mythology of Africa and Arabia weaves together to create a rich, incredibly complex fantasy world. I adored this trilogy and I will always read anything the author writes in the future. The world-building is vast, the world feels lived-in and imperfect, and the characters are complex. This is one of the most fascinating and imaginative settings in modern fantasy. El-Arifi is able to play readers like a fiddle and I felt every single emotion. I adored these characters and I was shocked at how my perceptions changed over time. Even secondary characters feel incredibly fleshed out and real. I loved watching the rebellion attempt to gain allies and the preparation for war had so much mounting tension.

The final battle scenes are brutal and I loved how El-Arifi gave us multiple POVs from side characters. It adds depth to the story, showing us the many small and often overlooked moments that make up the chaos and harsh nature of war. These perspectives pulled me in and made the battle feel more real and grounded—like we weren’t just watching heroes at the forefront but seeing the raw humanity behind the fight for freedom. And it broke my heart so many times.

That said, the emotional pacing, especially toward the end, left me wanting more. Anoor’s arc was heart-wrenching, almost physically painful to experience, but it felt like her journey was cut short. Her healing needed more time to be explored, and the ending left her in a place that didn’t fully feel fair to the complexity of her character. With how much she went through, I wanted more for her. A fourth book could have given her—and the readers—the time to properly process that pain and healing.

On the flip side, Jond’s POV and romance arc were handled with care. I loved how his character developed across the series, and seeing his romantic relationship evolve felt like a well-earned reward amid all the tragedy.

While the conclusion brings with it the inevitable war and rebellion, something feels like it’s missing—and I think that missing piece is time. This story needed more room to breathe, and a fourth book would have given the characters, especially Anoor, the space they deserved to heal and grow. While the world and the characters were incredibly rich, the ending didn’t quite hit as hard as it could have if the pacing had allowed for more development. This is one of those series that will stay with me for a long time, and despite the very rushed ending, the overall journey was incredible.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary. All opinions are my own. I had a great time buddy reading with @geengeenreads and @readingintandem on Storygram!

What a stunning conclusion to the Ending Fire Trilogy!! Sara El-Arifi is so good at balancing twists and turns with atmospheric, simmering writing so that the story feels completely immersive and the characters are all relatable.

The scream that I scrumpt when I got this ARC!!!!!! What an amazing ending to this stellar trilogy. I love all of these characters so much. I love how the prophecies and religious meanings were twisted to mean something entirely different than we thought originally. I did feel like it was slow moving at the beginning and was struggling through it a bit. Especially bc I felt like characters were being stupid. I don’t like knowing something before a character and then having to wait SO long for them to realize the information that has seemed to obvious to me for 100’s of pages. Anoor and Jond really should have figured their situations out earlier and in my opinion the “hints” we were getting as the readers were so blatantly obvious that it was just frustrating to watch them keep not getting it. Once the battles started I really locked in. Gorn!!! What an absolute badass. I got to stick with my favorite character Hassa until the end and was so emotional about her story wrapping up. Emotional about Sylah and Anoor’s story wrapping up as well obviously but the ending was so heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. This series is an absolute banger. Please read!!!

Thank you so much for this advanced reader copy. This was the conclusion to masterpiece series. I will read anything Saara El-Arifi writes! I honestly can’t believe it’s over. This book was just wow, fantastic!

Having been fairly disappointed with the second instalment of this trilogy, The Battle Drum, I was a little nervous about picking this one up. I’m happy to say I did enjoy it more than book 2. The focus was on preparing for and fighting the final battle, and that focus helped to push the narrative forward. However, it did feel like things resolved too easily and without meaningful sacrifices from our heroes (characters died, but not main ones, and even when a main character seemed to be in mortal peril they were swiftly saved.) The political fallout all seemed somewhat simplistic as well. Probably not a series I will reread but this final book was enjoyable in the moment.

Thank you to Del Rey for my arc!

I absolutely loved this! a stunning conclusion to this fantastic series. I hated saying goodbye to this world and these characters who i've grown to love so much. highly recommend.

I liked this book a lot, I just didn’t love it. The first two books in this series are some of my favorite books ever, and I just felt this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I loved the expansion on the world building, and the magic. Jond’s POV I liked a lot more than I expected! I liked Hassa’s storyline, however I just didn’t feel like we got ENOUGH of her story. I felt like the end of this book didn’t quite satisfy me, it was missing the emotional impact that I got from the other books and felt like it wasn’t quite complete yet. Overall a great series, and I think people will also enjoy this.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The Ending Fire is the final installment in Saara El-Arifi's Ending Fire Trilogy, and follows Anoor, Hassa, Sylah, and Jond as tensions in the Wardens' Empire come to a head.

The thing about fantasy trilogies is that they can be the best thing you've ever read, but still fall apart at the end. Fortunately, The Ending Fire did not fall apart. If anything, this strong, fast-paced conclusion to a strong trilogy solidfied me as a reader who will pick up any Saara El-Arifi book on sight from now on. Though I did wish the book was a bit longer -- I wanted a bit more meatiness to some of the slower moments, a little extra time settled in with these characters and this world -- ultimately I had a really good time with this book. It's at similar caliber to the rest of the series, and El-Arifi masterfully executes the conclusion of the lead characters' arcs in ways that feel satisfying and organic. I was on the edge of my seat practically the entire time, and finishing this book only made me want to go back and start the first one again.

A solid finale to a fantastic trilogy! The sheer vastness of this series's world is a true accomplishment by the author. The way she was able to tie in all of the many aspects of the overarching story... truly masterful. I particularly enjoyed following Jond (something I never thought I would say at the beginning of the series), and Anoor's journey was painful yet compelling to witness. I wished the book was longer, or that there was even a fourth book in this series, because there is so much more I want to discover from this world.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

I liked the world, and overall, it was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. I had a bit of a hard time with the new perspectives for the final battle. This ended up using miscommunication in one of the romantic subplots, too, which isn't a favorite of mine.

The Ending Fire is the outstanding finale to the trilogy. It begins right where The Battle Drum left off and Sylah is desperate to find out what happened to Anoor. Was Anoor kidnapped or did she leave willingly? Hassa is left to untangle the mysteries that concern the Ghostings. As war approaches, all of the characters must choose where they stand once and for all.

The Ending Fire trilogy is one of my favorites! I love the rich world-building and complex politics. The characters leap off the page and absolutely steal your heart. While their fates have always been intertwined, Hassa, Sylah, and Anoor all go on their own epic journeys in this finale. Each of their character arcs feel fulfilling and heartfelt. Saara El-Arifi does an incredible job of balancing the side characters’ journeys along with the main trio.

Readers seeking a satisfying fantasy trilogy should read this series. The characters will steal your heart, the battle sequences are epic, and the politics are intricately constructed. I loved my time with Sylah, Anoor, and Hassa. I can’t wait to see what Saara El-Arifi writes next!

Thank you to Saara El-Arifi, Del Rey, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book. This book has my whole heart. I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this! It really just sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. In my opinion, those are the best books and I couldn't get enough.

I’m soooo sad this journey is over. I grew to love these characters soooo much and this was an amazing ending to aid in this amazing story.

4.5 Stars

In The Ending Fire, roles are shifting, allegiances are changing, and the rebellion against the Warden’s Empire is surging – but a greater war is coming.

Saara El-Arifi is a master crafter of rich and imaginative queer normative fantasy worlds, deeply flawed and yet loveable characters, and intricately woven plot-lines that culminate in a gipping and emotionally resonate conclusion to an OVERWHELMINGLY EPIC series.

First, let’s talk about the worldbuilding. The Ending Fire expanded upon the complex and vividly detailed world outside of the Warden’s Empire, from the mushroom towers to the underground beachside glass colony, to the book-loving ship city, I love the imagination behind each one and how every setting is infused with its own culture and history. Saara is so creative in the execution of her craft – I LOVE using the Griot storytellers as a mechanism to provide recaps from the previous books and was blown away by how effective her choice was to allow both major AND minor characters to provide a point of view during the ending battle scene. (Rascal the Kitten’s POV OMG I was in love!)

The relationships between and surrounding our main characters evolve significantly in The Ending Fire, as each character navigates the constantly changing landscape of alliances vs. enemies. Similar to the previous books, Saara does NOT shy away from putting her characters through intense hardships, but the beauty of it is in how their internal struggles mirror the broader conflicts of the world they inhabit so while its difficult to see our beloved friends continue to struggle, I find it consistent with the grim realities of the world that they live in. Also, JOND coming out of left field to end up one of my favorite characters, WHAT?! His arc in particular, alongside Hassa, were the most developed of the series.

While I found the foreshadowing to be more subtle in The Battle Drum than in The Ending Fire, (as I was able to easily guess most of the plot twists/character reveals), I still appreciated the twists and turns that drove the story forward. I loved the additional and more expanded thematic exploration of power and rebellion as a whole, and the story providing a more nuanced understanding of the Zalaam—a faction that seeks to consolidate power through manipulation of belief and religion and how corruption is born systemically but can often be nurtured and grown through the influence of one over-empowered individual.

If I could change anything about this series, however, it would be a quartet instead of a trilogy as I think we needed just a little more time to flesh out the story, to get more time with Sylah and Anoor as a couple or to have an expanded epilogue. The last battle scene was EPIC though the ending felt abrupt and while technically resolved, was emotionally unsatisfying. HOWEVER, with this choice, Saara ultimately stayed true to the story’s themes surrounding sacrifice and the often harsh nature of change.

I loved it. I love this series and I feel confident that I will love anything that Saara El-Arifi writes. Thank to you netgalley and Del Ray for the opportunity to read The Ending Fire as an advance reader copy.

As the grand finale to Saara El-Arifi’s The Ending Fire trilogy, this book delivers a bittersweet conclusion to one of my favorite series. The Wardens’ Empire is crumbling, rebellion brews under the Truthsayer’s army, and long-awaited battles loom on the horizon. Sylah, Hassa, and Jond are thrust into their respective roles, navigating politics, war, and matters of the heart, while Anoor’s role with the Zalaam becomes increasingly complicated.

El-Arifi’s world-building and intricate storytelling are as strong as ever, immersing readers in the vividly complex universe she has crafted. However, I was somewhat disappointed with the direction Sylah and Anoor’s character arcs took. Much of their development seemed to stall, with their chapters becoming overly focused on their love for each other, to the detriment of the stakes at hand. The dynamic relationship I had loved so much in the earlier books felt diminished as their previous motivations were replaced by pining and romantic distractions. Anoor’s connection to the Zalaam, in particular, became increasingly frustrating to read, as her character's involvement with this storyline relied too heavily on her naiveté, discounting all of the character development she had in the previous two books.

On the other hand, Hassa and Jond stood out as the saving graces of this book. Their character growth felt richly rewarding, and I’ve been invested in Hassa’s story from the beginning. Her arc concluded in a deeply satisfying way, and I found myself rooting for her the most. Jond, too, even with his own romantic distractions, had a fulfilling journey, though I wish the story had spent more time diving into his leadership and inner conflict rather than his romantic entanglements.

Unfortunately, the climactic final battle, which should have been the pinnacle of the trilogy, fell short for me. With multiple POVs from supporting characters and a disjointed execution, the scene became confusing, and inconsistencies in the plot distracted from what should have been an emotionally charged and intense moment. Instead of the exhilarating conclusion I anticipated, it left me feeling disconnected and eager to move on from the chaos.

While The Ending Fire didn’t quite live up to the high expectations set by the first two books, it was still a mostly satisfying conclusion to the series. Fans of the world and characters El-Arifi has created will likely appreciate the larger plot resolutions and the exploration of love, war, and sacrifice. However, it lacked the tight, thrilling execution that I was hoping for.

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

I love Saara El Arifi and I love this trilogy
Just amazing
Such a fitting ending and though I was a bit surprised at how naive Anoor was at times
5 STARS

It’s rare for me to love the next book in a series more than the prior, but with The Ending Fire trilogy each book got better and better.

Some of the things I really loved about book:
-All the different POVs.
-How each character has a very distinct voice.
-The growth and change each character went through.
-How each character arc wrapped up.
-The end battle sequence!

I wish this series could go on forever, but it wrapped up exactly how it should have. Highly recommend to those who love character driven fantasy stories that are set in queer-normative worlds.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.