Sadly I will not be able to get to this before the Archive Date. I am very interested, and will try to pick it up in the future.

Huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I flew through this book. I started it yesterday evening and finished it this morning! I probably would have finished it last night but my poor iPad died and it takes forever to recharge.

We’ve probably all read a book with mistaken identity and usually the first meeting is flimsy at best for the characters not to know who the other is. But oh no, Dana Swift expertly crafts a tangled web of intrigue and it makes perfect sense that the characters don’t recognize each other. It made for so much angst! Adraa and Jatin are betrothed to one another but have no idea who they’re interacting with so every time they thought, “what’s wrong with me?” when they noticed how attractive the other was, flirted, admired their strength of character etc etc ... I was cackling. I seriously enjoyed the unnecessary torture they were subjecting themselves too. Far to much if I’m honest lol

I loved the power structure, politics, and even the layout of the land. I can’t complement Dana Swift enough for crafting such a complex and amazing story!

“To think she is as undone as I am.”

100% recommend this book if you love angst, slow ish burn romance, fantasy, and unique power structures!

I loved this book so much that I finished it in a day. I was drawn in by the promise of rivals to lovers with some identity shenanigans thrown in for fun and I was not disappointed in the slightest. The magic system was really cool and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat but it was Adraa and Jatin that really had me hooked. I could tell right away they were perfect for each other, even if they didn't know it yet, and watching them struggle to get there was so fun. I would totally recommend this book for any YA fantasy fan and I can't wait for the sequel!

I'm not sure how this ended up on my NetGalley list to be honest. I think I read the blurb and thought it would be interesting back when I was a bit less judicious with what I requested. Based solely on the cover art, I was pretty sure this wasn't going to be a hit for me.

BOY WAS I WRONG. This book is one of the best books I've requested from NetGalley, which includes new releases from authors I have cherished for years. I'm going to reread this. I'm going to buy this. I'm going to recommend it to everyone I know.

Adraa and Jatin are both royals destined to marry and one day rule together in order to unite their two nations of Belwar and Naupure. Adraa is desperate to prove herself being born with her magic Touch only on one arm (when the norm is to have it appear on both arms) and feeling like a failure after getting a late start to magic. Jatin, on the other hand, is a natural wizard, easily mastery all nine types of magic expected of royalty at a young age. After only meeting once at a young age, these two future rulers meet again, don't recognize each other, have a pretty romantic meet-cute, and continue to keep their identities secret. With a little parental intervention, the two find themselves on a quest to uncover what's going on in the seedy underbelly of Adraa's nation, fighting crime and learning more about each other.

This story is filled with action, romance, and mystery. Swift's decision to conceal their identities from each other was masterful, and kept me turning the pages quickly to read what happens when they finally realize who they have been partnering with all this time. The characters had clear motives with unique and interesting voices. And that romance plot line. Y'all...it was amazing and swoon-worthy, and made the entire book worth reading.

The only drawback for me was getting used to the magic system. The use of long words for spells pulled me out of the story a little, and made the fight scenes a little clunky. Perhaps keeping the incantations shorter or choosing a different casting technique would have made it a little more streamlined. But after awhile, I did get used to them and they didn't impede my appreciation for the story.

If you are a lover of YA fantasy with a romantic subplot, you're going to love this. Buy it immediately.

Fantastic! The world is shaping up really well, and the characters garner the readers investment. I loved that this is more of a new ya topic as far as many of the tropes for this genre go. It was really well written.

I loved this book. I had a great time diving into it-- excellent pacing, a solid balance between character and plot, intriguing worldbuilding, and a swoonworthy romance! I loved the mistaken/hidden identity element of the plot, and was cheering on the two protagonists. We get to hear the story from both of their first-person perspectives, and I really enjoyed the back-and-forth. Great dialogue, too. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I appreciated the author's note about the cultural influences in her worldbuilding for this book-- I have to admit, I wondered, since she is white-presenting and the setting seems to be inspired by South Asian cultures. As a white woman married into a different culture, I felt like I understood her perspective when I read her author's note.

This was a strong debut that makes me eager for the sequel!

I've never related to any character as much as I've related to Adraa. She's intelligent, fierce, independent, and hilarious. Her inner voice sounds exactly like the thing I think to myself as I go about my own day. The rivalry between her and Jatin is so entertaining! These two are well matched. Their interactions and bond provided a sweet romance that underlies the rest of the story. I also appreciated the details that the author put into crafting such a fascinating system of magic, much different from anything I've seen before. We get just enough information to understand how it's being used, without being overwhelmed by the system. The worldbuilding here is fantastic: I care about everything and everyone and want to know more!

I couldn't put this book down. I read it all in one day and put off grocery shopping to finish. I can't wait for the sequel!

This book was great. I have been in a slump for months and this is the first novel length book I’ve read. I finished it in two days. It would have been one but I needed sleep. The storyline piles you in from the start. The characters are complex and interesting. Adraa was such a strong female lead. Her determination to prove herself and to help her people made her into a great character. Jatin starts off flat because his character is made to seem arrogant and nothing more because that is how Adraa sees him. But as we get to see his POV and even hers we see him grow into a much greater person. At first I was upset that he found out who she really was first but the more I read the more it felt right. She hated the real Jatin and he was able to take the time and prove himself to her without the pressure. The ending was stressful and it left me very excited for book two. Definitely one I will recommend to people.

Omg! I absolutely loved this book! I found the magic system , world , and characters to be so unique! I hate that Cast in Firelight got pushed back to a later release date. I think everyone who enjoys YA , and fantasy should read this book. Adraa is such a great female powerhouse of a character. I love how driven she is to take care of her people , even if it means marrying someone she doesn’t love. Jatin is by far my favorite character. I love his growth and development through out the story! I am so looking forward to book 2! I can’t wait to add the finished copy to my collection and hopefully gift it to some friends!

The cover art caught my attention right away, but the romance and fantasy world were also amazing. The multiple abilities and how they were shown among people was an interesting magic system. This is one of the few arranged marriage plots I don't mind since the flirting and tension between the two more than made up for any overdone troupes. The plot also really scales up which was fun to read.

I absolutely loved this title so much! The characters are well flushed out and, though I'm not usually a fan of alternating perspective, I actually really enjoyed how the author did it for this story. Adraa is an amazing protagonist and I was rooting for her the whole time. Jatin is adorable and I truly loved his character. I was initially concerned about the romance going in because I'm not a fan of hidden identities, but they way the author handled it and the reveal was brilliant and I couldn't have been happier with where it ended up. The world building is so well done and the magic system is unlike any other I've read before, which was a lot of fun. The pacing of this story in non-stop in the best possible way and I loved all the action scenes! I was initially concerned, going into the story, about it not being an #OwnVoices author handling these characters but then her authors note addressed this head on at the end and it made me love this story even more. I cannot wait for the sequel to come out next year!

I actually enjoyed this book. It was an interesting story. I feel like the worldbuilding could have been just a little bit more fleshed out, and that plot/characters were a little simplistic but nonetheless enjoyable. Crazy ending and it leaves you waiting to find out what's going to happen.

3 stars

I always judge a book by its cover, I can not lie. That being said, Cast in Firelight's cover is beautiful and I PRAYED that the contents inside would be the same.

Well...

I had some big problems with the plotline and characterization. This whole misunderstanding thing with Adraa and Jatin was fun at first but then to stretch it out over halfway through the book? It got old really fast. As well, there were no juicy details about the surroundings and landscape, everything fell so flat. I wanted more explanation and more substance to the world.

Another gaping hole was the romance. I felt more chemistry with my sandwich than these two; no attraction whatsoever and the two main characters aced like tweens on the playground playing tag.

Overall it was an average read. I'm being nice as this is a debut novel but I don't understand why it's so highly rated.

DNF'd in the third chapter. I'm not really sure how this got such high reviews, as the writing feels like it was written by a ten year old. Adraa sounded so young, and I really thought she was around fourteen instead of whatever age she was supposed to be married off as. This was also very clearly written by someone who has no idea of the heritage and culture they were attempting to write about, and that in itself is something not even worth continuing this book for, let alone giving it a good review. Don't waste your time.

Dana Swift’s debut novel has a fantastic and imaginative magical world, characters I adored and a fast paced action filled plot.

The magical system was interesting with nine different types of magic that are each associated with different colors. Jatin has mastered all nine colors and during the first meeting between him and Adraa he thought it would be the perfect opportunity to show off his skills. Instead it sparked a competitiveness between the couple who have been matched for an arranged married. After years spent apart they are going to meet once again and are both dreading what comes next. By chance, they run into each other before their official reintroduction. With secret identities and a mystery to unravel they find themselves spending time together and things get more and more complicated.

Jatin and Adraa have so much chemistry, quick banter, and make a fantastic team. I loved reading about the growth of their relationship from mutual annoyance to respect. They are both characters who are filled with kindness and a sense of duty which leads them in everything they do and makes them connect so well. Beyond the magic and the romance, I loved how quickly this book moved along. It was a fast-paced fantasy and I cannot wait for the sequel.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our library wishlist and recommended it to students.

Liked the premise but I just felt like I was missing something. Not that the fighting injustice, using magic, romantic interests isn't appealing....I just felt as if there was something coming on the next page, next chapter, next book?? I will reread because it could have been me! Writing was solid, complex world, likable characters, that I just might have to update this in a week. Diving back in now!

I just finished an ARC of this solidly fun YA romance/adventure fantasy. It is set in a world loosely inspired by India? It’s not an Own Voices book but in the author’s words she wrote it with characters that would look like her own children and writing for your kids seems like a pretty reasonable motive when writing a kid’s book to me. This won’t be a book for some readers because it’s not an Own Voices YA and that’s reasonable too. The book doesn’t have anything deep to say. It’s pure escapism to read.
I think the story would work as well in any setting, it seems to be more about the two main kids more than this is a story set in a fantasy India. It’s a light fantasy novel. The princess is spirited and spunky and the prince she has a future marriage arrangement with is a nice guy that wants to serve his people. It’s a good bit of quick escapism for a reader that wants a light read that doesn’t ask too much of the reader but there’s nothing earth shattering here. Someone that likes girl power fantasy novels will probably like this one quite a bit. I’d say more of a 3.5 star rating than a 4 as it was a good time to read but it’s probably not going to stick with me. This is one of those books that 5 stars doesn’t quite speak to... I had a good time reading it but it wasn’t earth shatteringly good.

*I received an e-ARC from the author and NetGalley for an honest review.*

I cannot say enough good things about this book. If you love enemies to lovers then this is the book for you. Plus it has lots of magic, undercover missions, and so much more!

The chapters mostly alternate between the two main characters, Adraa and Jatin. Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar and Jatin is the royal heir of Naupure. They have been arranged to be married since they were kids. Their first meeting did not go so well and neither of them are looking forward to reuniting.

While Jatin has been away at school, Adraa has been working with his father. The two accidentally meet when Jatin returns home, but neither know who the other actually is as they both use false identities. Soon they are drawn together to try and stop a smuggling ring that threatens the kingdom of Belwar.

I loved the main characters, especially Adraa. The world building was truly magical and a joy to live in for a short while. The magic system is unique and very colorful. I cannot wait to read the second book in this duology. Cast In Firelight will release on January 19, 2021. Do yourself a favor and add it to your TBR now.

Cast in Firelight had such an interesting premise. I really liked the idea of different kinds of magic being connected to different colors, and Aadra was a great protagonist, and I liked Jatin as well. However, one thing that stood out to me that I just couldn't get past was that the language was very informal; the dialogue made it seem like I was reading a contemporary instead of a fantasy. This isn't necessarily a flaw, just something that I've come to expect in fantasy books. I kept getting distracted by the way characters spoke to each other that I wasn't able to concentrate on the plot as well. I also think that the magic system, while really interesting, could have been explained a little better. I really wanted to learn more about it, but there just wasn't very much information given,