Illusions of Fire is a banger of a fantasy romance novel from Nisha Sharma! Of course, Nisha kills it when it comes to contemporary romance, but this book convinced me even further that she's all-around a fantastic writer. The fantasy elements of this novel were written so well! Illusions of Fire is set on our contemporary world, but includes various magical creatures, legends, and lore from Hinduism. This book really reminded me of the magic and spunk of the 90's teen supernatural shows and movies like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Practical Magic, and Charmed. In these shows, you always have the teen main characters running around their town and fighting monsters and dem0ns at every corner, like a ghost child appearing in your locker room. (These types of scenes were so creepy and I found myself actually getting scared.) Then of course, the main characters are pressured to save the world without any adult supervision. I loved following Laila, Karan, and Boo as they plotted to stop Karan's uncle.

My favorite aspect of this book was the integration of Hindu creatures, gods, and legends into the story. It was done so seamlessly, and it made the fantasy world even more interesting for me as a Hindu reader. I've always read and watched media with contemporary fantasy worlds with western mythical creatures, so Illusions of Fire was very refreshing to read about.

Overall, I think YA fantasy lovers and fans of Nisha's previous works will definitely enjoy Illusions of Fire! (If you were a fan of the aunties in the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series, get ready for Laila's aunties in this book LOL.) I'd rate this book 4.5 stars rounded up!

4.5 stars rounded up

Buffy meets a more mature, South Asian Percy Jackson!

Illusions of Fire is a cool YA fantasy romance following the descendants of Hindu gods and divine figures. Laila has been raised by a gaggle of women who are really a kind of demon, and everyday she trains for combat to stay safe and fulfill her destiny.

Ahvi has been raised to hunt demons and protect the balance of good and evil in the world. When he's sent on a mission to hunt down a supposed asana (demon) he finds Laila instead. And their meeting was never supposed to happen...

Both of them are the descendants of figures from the Mahabarata and there is evil coming for them. But also the sparks between them are undeniable.

While this gets a bit dark at times (people die, there's a creepy guy planning sexual assault etc.) overall I found it to be really fun and it draws on interesting mythology. I've enjoyed other books by Nisha in the past and this is something different, but really great. You should have it on your radar! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co for the ARC of Illusions of Fire by Nisha Sharma!

Absolutely loved the fresh take on the story of Draupadi in this fast-paced and super fun contemporary YA with rich mythology woven throughout. It's got enemies to lovers, badass women who can take care of themselves, enemies to lovers, secrets and mysteries, and a semi-slow burn romance. Perfect for fans of mythology, strong female leads, and adventure!! We need more mythology remixes and this book delivers!

“Egypt had Cleopatra”…”Greece had Helen of Troy. And India had Draupadi. Know how powerful you are”.

Many readers know Nisha Sharma for her romance novels, but in Illusions of Fire? She’s incendiary. Pardon the fire pun, but it just works so well in this scenario. This book is just badass goodness. For majority of the book we follow Karan and Laila, and the duo are dealing with an indescribable bond while also fighting off some unsavoury mythological creatures and an icky villain (seriously a major creep). Throw in some eccentric Massi's, skilled sidekicks, and meddling gods and you're in for a treat. Gopal and Boo, I know everyone's going to LOVE them.

Ever since I read Percy Jackson as a kid, I always wondered if an author would ever dive into the stories I heard and learned growing up. Illusions of Fire is rooted in Hindu mythology and I’m so glad authors are exploring stories and sharing them with audiences. It stuns me that Nisha just gets it. She’s finding those gaps that readers of colour have been yearning for, and then just causally writes an amazing book. It’s something l’ll never get tired of no matter what.

Yes, this is a high energy book. But I like the little details. The Jasmine and incense scents, the chai machine, the slight crunch of an onion ring...sometimes I need the sensory descriptions in novels to ground me. It’s a balance that Nisha does perfectly. Overall, I know this book is going to connect massively with readers. The best part? We’re off to more adventures, and I can’t wait.

Throwing in one more quote that I loved “history is written by the victor. Interpretations have truth because they’re written by the quietest characters, right?”

Thank you so much Union Square & Co and NetGalley for the ARC. Out in February 2025 you don’t want to miss this.

OKAY MYTHOLOGY! This was such a fun read!
I was so excited to see the Nisha Sharma had announced her fantasy debut and it did not disappoint!

The romantic tension/connection between Laila and Ahvi!! Off the charts! Nisha Sharma has a knack for weaving a beautiful storyline! One of my favorite parts of this story was actually the characterization of Laila. Maybe one of the most well-written YA main characters I've read!

You will LOVE this book if you like the monster-slayer aspect of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the magical aunties in The Chilling Adventure of Sabrina, some really fascinating mythology, and healthy dose of heartfelt romance. I can't wait to read the next one!

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

Oh what a delightful read this was! I read and loved several of Nisha’s books. I was super excited to read this one when she announced it. I love mythology of any origin. This is right up my alley. It did not disappoint. It appears to be set up for many more book. I wait with bated breath for more.

I voluntarily read an early copy.