I’m not familiar with South Asian mythology so this was refreshing to learn more about the Mahabharata and Draupadi! I think this was very well written and an interesting take on the mythology. The fantasy element was fun, but also worked well with the Hindu mythology and culture. Laila was a good FMC and I can relate to the her wanting to create her own destiny. It was cool to see how her journey paralles Karan’s in some ways. I also love the tension between Laila and Karan, it was so palpable that my muscles were tensing up. This book had some funny moments and I wish the aunties were in the book longer. I can’t wait to see how this potential series develops.

Thank you to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you Nisha Sharma for persisting with this manuscript. You have created a brilliant world that I will be encouraging teenagers and adults alike to explore by reading this novel once it is published.

Imagine being born with the responsibility the main character Laila has. If you can't lead a 'normal life' because of your family and abilities. Expected to have a child by a certain age! As cool as Laila's abilities are, the luxury her aunties have surrounded her in all are still a cage of sorts. I felt a lot of empathy for this character and and what her future holds. We all want choice and Laila's is restricted by her past and foretold future.

Asian mythology is fabulous, and while a reader may find the vocabulary and folklore new, in no way should this cause anyone to not persist with this novel (and hopefully series... I so want to know what happens next!).

Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel and feel free to send me any future installments...I really do want to know what happens next!

This book was so good! I had so much fun learning about Indian mythology while reading this story, and Laila was such a fun and relatable character. I resonated so much with her feminine rage and feeling trapped by her destiny. Karan was a really great and refreshing MMC to read. His POVs of Laila were very sweet, and he wanted to protect her but not in an overbearing or toxic way. I also loved Boo, and Gopal, and the masis! I just can’t wait to read more of their stories!!

This was one of the best fantasy books I've read in the last few years. I seriously can't wait for the next installation.

Laila is a fantastic character, and this book is a brilliant fantasy. The magic and the world building were really interesting, and the plot well paced. Anybody who grew up with Buffy or Charmed would love the vibe of this book!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This book definitely had a "Buffy" feel to it. It was a good story with great action scenes. The climax and ending were a little rushed, and predicable, but I like how the complete story unfolded. Would I recommend? Probably, especially if the reader enjoys Buffy. Would I pick up another book by this author? Probably. Thank you for approving me to read an ARC of Illusions of Fire.

Illusions of Fire is a YA Urban Romantic Fantasy rooted in Asia and set in North America. The book is based on mythological elements where the protagonist, Laila Bansal is the last remaining heir of a majestic and magical bloodline.
Orphaned, Laila is protected by her aunts who happen to be vicious, feared, and kind hearted demons who are in turn hunted by a long line of demi god warriors.

Ahvi, the demi god warrior is tasked with killing Laila as he suspects her to be a vicious demon. But when the two meet, secrets are revealed and new mysteries are presented that could have catastrophic consequences for the world.

I read this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Good: The book is fast paced, easy to understand, and interesting characters. It is based in Indian mythology which is still rare in the North American market. It has zappy dialogues and enough stakes to keep you reading.

Who is it for: Anybody who loved "Hunted by the Sky" and "Spice Road" would like this book.

Please review the Trigger Warnings!

4.5⭐️
This book artfully mixed TVD, Lara Croft, and PJ. Nisha Sharma did her big one with this! It has action, high stakes, character development, world building. Prior to reading this, I only knew of Nisha Sharma for her romance novels…NOT ANYMORE! I’m interested in her continuing in this new lane and I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book asap!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The first two chapters dragged for no reason and there was a lot of action. Then it picked up….very quickly. Laila and Karan are well matched and their banter is great (No surprise since it’s Nisha Sharma!). It felt more like magical realism with the way Sharma incorporated magic within the world. Some elements were creepy and just eerie (how many different types of demon/ghosts/etc are there? Let’s find out!) The best part of this story is that you feel enveloped in the mythos without feeling lost. Every turn is well explained, entertaining, heartfelt, and enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All the opinions expressed are my own..

This book reminded me of Allison and Scott’s relationship from Teen Wolf. With the Hunter falling in love with the monster aspect. This is a very fast paced story, there was no mystery.. I think a lot of people will enjoy this read this year. Not much world building so that’s why it isn’t 5 stars for me. I love more plot heavy books. The beginning with having to bear a child before the age of 25 was weird and didn’t really explain why.

The lore and magic in this book feels really different and refreshing. I liked that a lot. I liked that it was contemporary but brought in a lot of myths.

I didn't feel connected to the characters. And I am not sure why? I didn't particularly enjoy the beginning setting it up as a gotta get pregnant/gotta kill her plot. I wish the characters had some more depth put into them and more chemistry was built between all characters.

Loved this YA fantasy with Hindu mythology! It follows Laila Bansal, a descendant of Draupadi. Laila lives with three aunts, who are actually rakshasi (demonesses) who have been granted immortality by Lord Krishna to protect the descendants of Draupadi. Laila is so well-protected by her aunts that she has never been able to live like others and yearns for a normal life. However, her life takes a turn when she meets Karan. Karan is a descendant of the warrior demigod, Karna. He has been trained by his father and his uncle, Satyapal, who isn't related to him by blood. His family's legacy is to kill the asura. Laila meets Karan when he mistakes her for a darker creature, and through the enmity and misunderstandings, they end up becoming partners in a situation that is more dire than they could have ever expected.

The plot and inclusion of Hindu mythology is done so well! As a Hindu myself, I definitely had some background knowledge going into this book, but I loved learning more in detail about the names I grew up hearing. I also loved how the author combined different stories into a unique narrative of mythology. The mythology was weaved into the plot seamlessly and led to some great twists. I only wish the climax had been more fleshed out. Considering the entire conflict was leading up to this point, I would have loved to see more suspense. I also would have loved to see the reveal of the antagonist be more of mystery. From the beginning, we as readers could easily guess who the villain was, even if it wasn't as obvious for the protagonists. I feel like if I were also in the dark about the villain's identity, the reveal would have been more epic mind-blowing.

The romance was really cute. I loved the relationship, and the secrets and reveals about their ancestry helped developed the romance really well. Laila and Karan were both really strong individuals, both physically and mentally, so I loved the vulnerability and comfort of their relationships. I also loved the side characters, especially Boo. She was the cutest, smartest, wittiest, most precious girl ever! And her dynamics with both Laila and Karan are so heart warming. The side characters helped push the plot and introduce conflicts and mysteries so well.

The ending wrapped up the story ell, but it also introduced more ideas for a potential sequel. I would love to see a sequel with different protagonists, perhaps taking place elsewhere at the same time as Laila and Karan's story, or maybe right after the events of this book, with Laila and Karan as side characters or co-narrators. There's so many different directions this could go, and I am definitely excited to see what's next!

I loved the premise of the book but it did grip me like I thought it would. It’s a soft dnf for now. I think I will pick it up again in the future. I’m a mood reader and this sounded so good when I applied for the arc but I’m unfortunately wanted something else to read at the moment.

3.75
i love mythological retellings, specially hindu mythological ones, because the characters and the stories are already so known to me, and with this books that's exactly what i got, it was a fun, fast paced book, which had a heavy and beautiful Mahabharat backdrop, laila was a strong, independent girl, she was someone draupadi would be so proud of and karan was an incredible love interest.
i really hope the author makes it into a series because i'd like to read more of this universe

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It had all the things I love in a fantasy; mythology, strong female characters, and found family.
We follow Laila as she navigates a complicated family legacy that forces her to not pursue the life that she would ideally want.
This is further complicated with the arrival of Karan, who brings danger to her door.
After a rough start, the two of them have to work together to stave off threats that hit close to home.
I loved that the action in this was fast paced and the plot moved along nicely. The characters were interesting and I was invested in their story.
I would definitely recommend this one.

Move over Buffy, we have a new slayer in town.

Ok, fair warning here, I LOVE:
YA Hero Books based on Mythology, Folklore or Religious Deities
Demon Slaying tough girls (I have the Buffy series playing in the background most days while I work)

So when Nisha Sharma's Illusions of Fire hit the NetGalley options I scrambled to hit request.

This surpassed all my hopes. Laila is far from your average teen. She lives with her adopted aunts, who have been training her in hand-to-hand combat from a young age. Why? Laila was born into a mythological bloodline and happens to need to these skills to slay magical villains.

The inclusion of Hindu Mythology was done SO WELL! I loved every minute and learned a ton of their background.

This comes out February 4th and I cannot wait to own a physical copy- look at that cover- PLEASE PLEASE let there be a sprayed edge special edition!

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for the ARC of Illusions of Fire by Nisha Sharma! This was like reading a late 90s, early 2000s fantasy tv show in the best way possible! If you liked Buffy the vampire slayer, charmed or practical magic then you need to pick this up!

I loved the mythology and fantasy lore that was throughout this book. The integration South East Asian creatures, gods and legends was fantastic. I thought the fantasy lore was explained and distributed through the plot so well. I never was lost or confused. And the fact there was so much archery had my heart soaring! Add in that this is a modern fantasy! Amazing!! I have no notes because I loved every moment of this.

I adored Laila and Karan so much and loved following their stories in this book. I appreciate that this book is a continuing story, but it didn’t leave us on a cliffhanger of suspense. I’m definitely going to pick up the next book if this turns into a series because I’m so hooked on this world.

This is a beautifully written fantasy perfect for lovers of a sweeping, epic mythology and smart teens facing perilous stakes. Based in tales from the Mahabharata, the characters are descendants of Hindu gods, making it a perfect read for slightly older readers who grew up on Percy Jackson and seek that same kind of demi god drama, epic fights, and romance. Laila is also a bad ass and a character you will root for with your entire chest. She is literally fire, and the underlying messages about history and the perspective of the storyteller shaping the story are powerful here!

Thank you so much to Nisha Sharma, Union Square and Co, and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

So, I didn't know that Sharma was a well established author before picking this up; the cover and description sold me instantly. I also didn't anticipate this being really, really amazing.

I know jack-squat about Hindu mythology, much less the Mahabharata, but from Sharma's worldbuilding and writing, I was able to understand and absorb this book's world so easily. The gods, the creatures, the stories, it all enthralled me so much because of how rich and deep it was. I'm even considering picking up India's grand epic myself just to understand more. It really goes to show what incredible worldbuilding and writing skills Sharma has!

The characters are also so delightful. Laila is an incredible protagonist with intelligence and snark, but the isolation and loneliness she had experienced for the majority of her life shows so much in her to, especially when it took over 200 pages for her to trust Karan (Not Ahvi. His name seemed to have changed, but I dunno why they didn't change it in the Goodreads description) once he (wrongfully) tried to kill her, and I don't blame her in the slightest. Her flaws are raw and believable, and I loved that about her. Karan is also a wonderful deuteragonist, as a guy who was misguided by ill intentioned familial figures who comes to accept he was wrong and loves Laila completely. Plus, their banter is very cute. I especially love the dialogue when Boo, Karan's cousin, comes into the picture; she is very much a delight.

I'm not Hindu or Indian, so I won't speak to the accuracy or faithfulness of this book from its inspirations, but I can say Sharma's passion and love for what she created here sincerely comes across. She revealed in her acknowledgements that it took over a decade for this story to be even considered due to racism, in plain speak. I loved that Sharma refused to give up on this story despite all the obstacles she had to face, and the fact it is going to be published, that I and many others, finally get to read it is something really special. That really ups this book's uniqueness in my eyes.

All in all, this was a great fantasy, and I very much love forward to whatever else Sharma has in store for this world!

Okay, this was SO MUCH FUN. It was everything I wanted from a Hinduism-inspired paranormal romance with Buffy vibes. Truly gave me the feeling I had the first time I watched Charmed. Can't wait for Laila and Karan's next adventure!!