The Ending Fire picks up right where we left off in book The Battle Drum, we see our 3 main ladies go through hell and back, especially our sweet naive Anoor. I spent way too much time being annoyed with her until I figured out what was happening, and then my heart broke.

I especially loved the different POVs we get during the great battle, the characters' small back stories, and how they were handling where they were was so great. ESPECIALLY RASCAL! That was just too cute and a much needed small break from all the intense scenes.

This book could have been 100 pages longer, and I would have loved it even more. It was so good I couldn't put it down. Exactly what a third book is supposed to be. I just needed MORE and didn't want it to end.

Thank you Del Ray books and NetGalley for the eARC

This is a stunning conclusion to a stunning trilogy. It was so satisfying to watch the three original main characters from book 1 completing their arcs, though it was a gut-punch to read at times.

This is one of my favourite series of all time and I am so happy to have read the finale! I can't believe it's actually over.

All of the extra world-building and expansion from book 2 came into play here as we follow our four main POVs as each try to prepare for the upcoming war in their own way.

This book is gripping, devastating, hopeful and humorous and I already want more from this world. The characters are flawed and realistic and I routed for all of them. There were definitely a lot of times where I just wanted to shout at one of the characters and shake sense into them but their actions made sense given their personality, history and the events in the book.

The final quarter or so of this FLEW by as everything built to a dramatic climax. I was hooked! I particularly loved how in this section we were given POVs from other characters too (my favourite being the cat) which was a really nice way of seeing what was going on elsewhere in the war in locations far away from our main characters.

I will never stop recommending this series to people! I find the world so fascinating and really hope we get more from this world in future, whether that be set in the future or the past, I'd be interested in either. There is so much scope for more books, this world and its history (and I'm sure future) are vast!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this eARC to review.

This was definitely a satisfying ending to the trilogy even if I did agree with all of the choices made. I especially love the final part of the book and how she wrote it. If you've been along for the ride since The Final Strife then buckle up because you are in for wild ride!

Thanks to NetGalley & andom House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited when I was sent this--I've loved the first two books in the series!

This finale to the trilogy doesn't disappoint. It's so clean and well written in that there's no major cliffhangers or unresolved character tension to be solved in another 8 books, it just...ends. Which is so rare for me to see with books these days, it's always a teaser for ANOTHER book and then another...and it never ends! So, thank you, Saara El-Arifi for creating a fantastic conclusion to a captivating trilogy. I wouldn't mind another book set in this fantastical world, but I'm happy that my favorite characters had their storylines wrapped up.

I'm really quite pleased with how this trilogy fared out--it never slowed down, it just kept rolling with the punches. Thing is, the punches aren't like...involving killing multiple fan favorite characters just for funsies, every character had a purpose from beginning to end. I was pleasantly surprised to root for one character who was originally a jerk in the first two and see their character progress and evolve beyond their flaws. I loved the drama with Anoor and her grandmother. I loved Sylah's persistence and stubborness. Honestly, I love all of the characters, but if I *had* to pick a favorite, it would be Hassa. She really gets to shine with her ingenuity and resourcefulness here which I love.

I won't spoil too much of the ending fight, but I really liked how Saara El-Arifi handled it. Each chapter was a POV of a different character--some we've seen before, and some new ones. I thought it was a really great way to showcase the fight from different perspectives, from enemies to allies. It felt like a very natural progression and I usually hate war/fighting chapters in books because it's just like "He hacked and slashed as the hash-slinging slasher and stabbed people." for 5 pages which gets silly after a while. Not this one--the ending fight was so compelling, I kept having to put the book down to process all the DRAMA.

Okay, last notes, I just really appreciate how hard Saara El-Arifi goes with the different commentary--especially on colonialism. I also like that it's not entirely bleak--it's hopeful. It ends on a great note and I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy in stores later!

Brilliant trilogy!

Fantastic conclusion to the series. I especially loved the various POV’s in the last quarter of the book. I half expected everyone I love in the series to be killed, so we’re coming out on top! This is going out as one of my favorite series of all time.

Utterly magnificent. I cannot put fully into words how much I've enjoyed this series. It was heartbreaking, poignant, exciting and a thrilling politically relevant fantasy. I've bought multiple special edition sets and will be absolutely completing them with this glorious book.

The Ending Fire started off with a little tale of what had gone before in the Battle Drum and I enjoyed the way this delivered.

We continue with our main characters and multiple points of view of Anoor, Sylah, Hassa and Jond. Saara El-Arifi has already made you care for these characters and there were many points where I was heart broken for each one and felt the emotional turmoil they were going through.

Anoor has ended up manipulated and on the wrong side of the war led by her grandmother. There were some parts of this that were very frustrating because although she has always been a bit naive, this was hard.

Sylah has fought her way back to Anoor to find she has gone and she now finds herself deciding if she goes in search for Anoor or stays to help fight the impending War.

Jond has found himself a home in Tenio and has become a teacher preparing for war. He spends time with Kara recruiting people to their cause to save as many people as possible. The miscommunication here had me throwing my iPad (not actually because it’s precious).

Hassa continues to develop her bloodwerk and fight for all the ghostings who have been silenced.

There is only so much that can be said without revealing anything and it is something you need to experience because it’s damn good. The battles, the creations, the god beasts, the side characters were done really well! This was a satisfying end to the series. To be honest I wished there was a bit more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

The Ending Fire picks up where The Battle Drum ended. We continue following our main characters (Hassa, Sylah, Anoor, and Jond) as they navigate the final book of the series. Again, I loved the summary of the second book that we get at the beginning of this one, told through a Griot tale (which is such a unique take and I love it). What I loved about the first two books continues in this one - the characters (especially their DEPTH), the action, the politics. I like how the characters could feel similar emotions but use them in such different ways - Anoor becomes more apathetic as the grief (and the Zalaam) slowly break her, Hassa uses her grief to fuel action within the rebellion, Sylah chills in denial, and Jond turns to other relationships. While I love the multiple POV’s, it felt like too much at times. With all of the POV’s happening and everyone doing something different, I felt like the story lost a bit of its depth. We would have a big revelation in one POV just to then switch and go to a different character who had another big (different) revelation and then on to a new character. It was, at times, disorienting and made some parts feel choppy. I think if this book was split into 2, we would have gotten the depth in each POV. That being said, I feel every character got a satisfying ending and this was a great ending to a great series!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The final installment in the Ending Fire trilogy is nearly here! I have really loved this world and these characters. Following the end of Book 2, our main players have all spread out among different factions in the coming war. The initial half of the book suffered a bit on pacing and exposition, as much of this part of the book was spent waiting for the date of the Ending Fire as well as El-Arifi slowly placing small reveals and revelations; however for the most part it didn’t feel like much happened until the ending. The final battle scene is one of my favorite that I’ve ever read, including perspectives from a huge array of characters over a short span of time. As always, El-Arifi’s writing is stunning and the depth of her characters is unparalleled; all this ultimately balanced out the slow start for me. The conclusion to this epic story is immensely satisfying, so if you haven’t read this series yet now is a great time to pick it up.

This was a great ending to the trilogy. There were several times within reading that I stood up and walked away from the book because I felt so stressed about the characters and what was going on in the story. My one note was that I felt like the book either needed to be longer or split into two books. There were moments within the book where very emotional or action packed moments that seemed to just fly by. I thought that El-Arifi had some really cool and insightful things to say about colonialism, restitution, and how to tear down systems and rebuild them. Well done, will definitely read their other books.

eARC Review: The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi 🔥

This was an incredible ending to a stunning trilogy! I really enjoyed the deeper dive into the lore that makes up the world-ending prophecy and seeing more of said world in this installment. Oddly enough, I did find myself looking forward to Jond’s and Hassa’s POV in this book than in the other two and that final part? . . . Offta what an ending. 😰

The story starts in a few different points of time for the four main POVs. Sylah and Hassa’s POV starts right where the second book left off while Anoor and Jond’s takes place a few weeks after. ⌛️

I found Sylah’s guilt of returning a bit regressive for her character arc as I’m so used to her doing her own thing no matter what anyone else thinks. I did find her devotion to Anoor very sweet but sometimes it held her back in my opinion. And speaking of being held back, I feel like Anoor just kind of disappeared for the book. While the reason for this is revealed later on in the book, it just felt like her POV never really stuck with me in this book as it did in the other two. 😶‍🌫️

In contrast to the two lovers, Hassa and Jond really stood out to me in this book. I really enjoyed the parallell’s of Hassa’s grief and how she uses it compared to Anoor. While Anoor lets it fuel her descent into apathy, Hassa uses her grief to drive her desire to be free of her Ghosting bondage. The new character in her storyline was such a sweet inclusion and I really love how this new character loves her for who she is and now who they expect her to be. And Jond does a lot of growing in this book. Being alone in a foreign land with a partner that pushes him to get outside of his comfort zones really helped shine a light on a man who, while having done some very questionable things in the past, owns up to them and accepts his new world and position with a grace I didn’t expect from him. 🎖️

All in all, I still had a great time being back with these characters and the world, and found all their endings rather fitting for the characters. I’m still a bit confused as to what happened to Anoor and Sylah, but I guess that’s the beauty of each reader’s interpretation of the book. Big thank you goes to Del Rey Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this wonderful conclusion in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, El-Arifi, for keeping me on my toes while I stress out for these characters. 🥲

Publication date: September 10!!

Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐️

"The Ending Fire" was a fitting ending for the trilogy. I liked that some of the individuals and groups that in the fictional world of the series were considered "lesser" and were discriminated against and persecuted ended up being some of the most important and influential factors in bringing down the "Empire" and defeating the Zalaam. The final book has plenty of action and intrigue, with new characters and countries, allies and enemies, joining those from the prior books. The final book also contains plenty of twists/surprises, including shifting and unexpected alliances.

I love a satisfactory ending to a series. The Ending Fire was a very satisfying third and final book for this trilogy. The epilogue especially left me on the verge of tears - a true marker of how much this story and these characters pulled me in.

The things I loved the most about this book (and the series overall) were the characters. The representation. The conflict, both internal and external, that shaped their journeys. El-Arifi's characters are, in my opinion, very real. They are relatable, understandable, and so very human.

I have some bittersweet feelings regarding this book. I adore this series and am going to be mourning its ending for some time.

The pacing was good, for the most part. Sometimes I find the lead-up to big battles drawn out and boring, but there was plenty of action and activity outside of the war prep to keep me interested.

I found Anoor to be frustrating, but I expected as much after book two. Hassa is still - and will forever be - my favorite. Her voice is so strong, she is a BAMF by every term.

Mild-ish spoiler warning... Anoor's cult de-programming and the post-battle ending felt rushed to me; which is why I couldnt give this a 5-star. I would've liked a little more elaboration on the ending after such a long series. It felt a little incomplete.

Saara El-Arifi continues to impress with each new book she writes—her latest trilogy finale is no exception. From start to finish, this book exceeded all my expectations, delivering a gripping story with characters facing new challenges in beautifully crafted settings. While I wished for a bit more depth in certain aspects, the finale was deeply satisfying, leaving me both fulfilled and yearning for more from this talented author.

I enjoyed the first two books in the series. This one, not so much. It just read very disjointed. The POVs didn’t blend well together as parts of one story. They mostly felt very separate; like they each could’ve been their own story. Plus, there were so many scenes that were too long or unnecessary in my opinion. Unfortunately, I was bored for most of the story and considered dnfing or skipping to the end multiple times. I really think the page count could’ve been trimmed down ALOT!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the advanced eARC.

I consider myself a VERY lucky lady to receive an ARC of this final book. The great character, Hassa finally gets herself a cover (but sadly not nearly enough plot time). In spite of this, Ending Fire was a solid ending to an adeptly-written, unique, and compelling series of books.

First the strengths...I love that every character got a good arc and fitting finale. I loved the episodic nature of the final battle scene which plopped us into the shoes of many different characters (it reads more how you'd expect a war to feel.)

I also thought Anoor's story was fascinating. While she may seem naive, coming from the stress of the past two books I can see where she'd be tempted to settle into the role and actions being sold to her. In light of today's political climate, I liked this nod toward people doing bad things in the name of their God because they believe it's right. I also thought the God beasts were creepy and cool.

What I loved less was Jond. To be clear, I actually loved the Jond storyline and how it turned out, but I didn't love that Jond took up a quarter of the book! I was under an impression that this book series was about the fates of these three women. I enjoyed Jond (and RASCAL) and am happy he found love, but that seemed at the narrative expense of the ladies, which made me grumpy.

Which leads me to my final point...I wanted more for Hassa. I wanted her to have those adventures instead of Jond. Instead she finds her Dad, then hangs out with him a lot, walks with him to a city, walks BACK with him from that city and then takes part in the war. She does give Sylah a good kick in the pants for mooning over Anoor, but other than that she doesn't get much agency. I guess, personally, I wanted to see a character who had been mutilated and abused (and who witnessed her love being literally torn part) to get some damn agency and be a hero too.

Obviously, I'm being picky cause I loved the series and the characters. It may not have created the happy ending *I* wanted, but I'm sure many others will be satisfied. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for letting me read an e-ARC of The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi!

Readers rejoin our main characters where The Battle Drum left off - Anoor is preparing to travel with the Zalaam, Sylah is returning back to the mainland to search for Anoor, Hassa is dedicated to seeing the downfall of the Wardens and returning the land to the Ghostings, and Jond is working toward the same. We witness the rapid decline of Anoor as she falls further and further down the rabbit hole that Yona and the Zalaam have constructed for her as the Child of Fire. Sylah eventually comes to grips with the idea that Anoor is on the wrong side of the impending war while working hard to prepare their troops. Hassa and Jond are, perhaps, our hardest workers throughout this installment: Jond is traveling all over with Kara to secure allies for the ward and Hassa is preparing the former Warden’s Empire by gathering the Ghostings and ensuring that there is order in the ranks (while also working on her own bloodwerk technique after acquiring a special stylus).

The build-up and scenes of war were phenomenal, the character growth and development is ridiculously well-done, and I found the conclusion immensely satisfying (though sad in the countless losses by the end). Watching these characters move through grief and heartache while also grappling with the end of the world was a thrill, and, needless to say, this finale blew me out of the water. I tend to dread reading the last book in a series, but this one had me neglecting other responsibilities just so I could keep reading. Though I’m mourning the end of this beloved series, I cannot wait to see what El-Arifi continues to put out into the world, and I will continue singing the praises of this trilogy to the ends of the Earth. If you love epic fantasies with masterful world-building, pining sapphic romance (slow-burn style), intriguing magic systems, a queer-normative universe, and characters who are so human that you love to hate them at times, this series is for you.

What a finale! The Ending Fire is one of my favorite series of all time, and wow did Saara El-Arifi stick the landing on this one. It's a painful look into indoctrination and religious zealotry, their parallel with drug addiction, and the difficulties of de-programming and healing. It's also about love, sacrifice, and community, about rising above prejudices and fighting for a better tomorrow. Saara has built an incredible world that is full of potential for more stories, and I would read every single one.