I just didn't vibe with this book. I was confused most of the time, but I just felt that the story just wasnt for me. I had a hard time connecting to the characters, and the world building didn't feel strong.

I'm not done with this book yet, but the release date is tomorrow, so this is my review on the part I have read. I'm about 26% of the way through it. First off, the way this novel is written is a little confusing. To me, it almost seemed to read like classic literature. I had to keep rereading sections for them to make sense. I felt detached from the characters, although I liked Theodora. The plot is so-so. I hate how it keeps switching back from place to place. I felt the second perspective was unnecessary. With that said, I do feel like the author created a creative high fantasy world. The world building is on point and I love how the powers work. Overall, maybe this novel just wasn't for me, or maybe I haven't read far enough, but it isn't my favorite. I would recommend it to anyone who loves high fantasy novels about people with powers. *I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This really wasn’t for me, I’m sure it will be a better fit for other readers , but I felt me and this book just never clicked. The story was interesting and I was drawn by it, but I couldn’t connect to the writing style or feel, so it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

3.4/5 ☆ = 3+

In a world filled with magic and wonders, we find it divided. As the dangers of war are lurking in the shadows, we follow two main protagonists with extraordinary powers and secrets where they find themselves to be the only ones who can stop the brewing war.

When I first read the description, I imagined a completely different story. Of course, it's kind of unfair to have such expectations for a book, as the author never knows what one specifically wants, but I really wanted to like this book. The promises of danger and magic lured me in a trap that was FROM FIRE AND SHADOWS.

I found it incredibly difficult to read through the first 25 % of this book. The world-building had great potential, as I could imagine these magical cities described in the book. However, I had immense problems with the names and remembering where the different cities were (as well as their names). New words were introduced all the time and I had no idea if it was important or not. The magic system was also quite hard to understand, as they all had different names (as you know, I suck with learning these names and stuff). And it did take me quite some time to categorize the different types of magic. Quickly summarised, it was hard to keep up with all the new information.

On another note, I really did like the direction the story was going. I am not a really big fan of action, so the internal thinking and descriptions worked perfectly for me. At some points, the new-name-throwing kind of threw me off, but everything had such great potential.

The characters were also quite intriguing, as I wanted to learn more about them every time they appeared. However, the aging journey of Theodora kind of - yes - threw me off. It wasn't exactly what I expected. Yet it leaves room for a lot of development for the upcoming sequels, that's for sure.

In conclusion, this book was a good start for an upcoming series. It leaves room for new storylines as well as gives us, the readers, a starting point. I really wish the magic system and name stuff was better explained. Hopefully, there's more to learn in the sequel!

Over and out. -Nora <3

•I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest opinion and review• First of all, a gorgeous cover! And a cool, typical Fantasy title. I love the writing, it’s so detailed, and extremely well written. Unfortunately the story fell a bit flat for me; it was a bit slow, with confusing chapter/age jumps, with our lovely MC being a little too mature for realism at the age of 6. The concept of the magic was also a tad under explained, but that could be due to future books doing the explanation in depth, so not a train smash. The world building is beautiful. Creates such clear mental images, and also so detailed. I really really enjoyed the world building! I feel as if perhaps this simply isn’t made for me at the age I am, but overall it is an enjoyable read.

When Thea was taken under the wing of Gunner a tall stranger after burning down the only place she knew as home and killing the only friend she had Thea embarks on a journey of discovery about powers that she never knew she possessed. Powers that she was not able to control. Thea made friends with brothers Lin and Leit who would become very important in her life during her time with Gunner and beyond.
In another world Death Warrior Kai was hiding the powers he never wanted from all that knew him. But there was a link between Thea and Kai that they did not understand and although they had never met they were on a path towards each other.
I found this story very confusing initially and at times through out the book and I really wished that the glossary was at the beginning of the book rather than at the end as it made it difficult to understand some of the language that was used. In saying that I still really enjoyed this story. Both Kai and Thea were interesting although Thea was sometimes frustrating with her naivety and the fallout from her actions. The side characters like Gunnar, the brothers and Ungar also added depth to the storyline. I look forward to reading the next in the series to find out what is in store for all the characters.
3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review

I’ve requested “From Fire and Shadows” because I was hooked by the plot.
After reading it, I still believe that the concept was quiet unique and also the world building was well done, but the division of this book wasn’t a good choice in my opinion.
The first part is narrated by the protagonist at 6 years old, but I think it was written in a too mature way and left me confused sometimes.
But as a first book it is not bad.

2.6

I tried liking this book, I really did.

The Pros:
Intriguing plot. Had huge potential.

The Cons:
That writing style. I'm sorry, but from the very first page I knew that that this writing style was just not for me. I wish it flowed a little more.

From Fire and Shadows follows Theodora and Kai in a magical world of six power lineages. The first part of the book is from Theodora at the age of six. It is odd to read from the perspective of a six year-old for a good chunk of a YA novel, in my opinion. I felt so lost for the majority of this part of the book and had a hard time getting into the book for this reason. However, I read on. In another territory we meet Kai who is a half-blood and an assassin. Kai is questioning his loyalty and Theodora struggles to control her newfound powers and that's the basic gist of the book.

While I thought the concepts of magic were interesting, I felt they could have been developed more. I found it difficult to follow the author's thinking at times and I just needed an overall stronger execution.

I really enjoyed this debut novel from J.F. Baptista. Following Thea through her life a child up until her seventeenth year, we are privy of all the important instances in her life that shape her into the woman that she is becoming. Then in contract following Kai's journey, and learning the he really has no real past, and we aren't really sure how he became the entity that he is. Those two story lines paired with the realization that both of thier stories are headed towards a head on collision with the other, make for a very unique and interesting story. This world of power and magic is intertwined with Scottish Gaelic terms (the Glossary can help with these if you get sidetracked by these like I did) and histories of the different lineages of magic buried throughout. I am very interested to see how these stories play out in the books to come in this series. Overall a must read, if you enjoy dark, magical, fantasy, tales.

This review will be posted on my blog 8/14/20 :)

From Fire and Shadows is a dual-narrative that spans over the course of a decade through the perspectives of a young girl named Theodora learning to use her newfound power and an assassin, Kai, who hides a dark secret. As they each learn to cope with changing times, they discover that they were meant to stop a global war.

From Fire and Shadows followed an intricately woven storyline that took me on many adventures. I loved the concept, but the execution needed some improvement, and I was left confused by some elements.

One major thing I disliked was the jumps in time. The book starts off with 6-year old Theodora until about halfway through, and then jumps 6 years ahead. I didn’t really understand why there was a 6-year gap, where we don’t have a clue of what happened during that time. There were also other unexplained time jumps, which left me so confused that I had to go back and reread chapters.

Next, I felt that 6-year old Theodora’s thoughts sounded too complex for her age, and she felt older than 6. Twelve year-old Thea’s voice had the same amount of maturity as her 6-year self. Baptista should have made 6-year old Theodora sound less mature to make her more realistic.

Finally, I think the writing style was just not for me. Baptista used up much of the book laying down the storyline that there ended up being little action. The world-building was average, and the magic system was underdeveloped. There were times when it felt too wordy, but I enjoyed the descriptive language.

Overall, the plot had a lot of potential, but it never let the readers revel in its storyline. The characters felt one-dimensional at times, which made it more unrealistic. From Fire and Shadows just didn’t hook me enough to get me excited for the next book.

Amazing world building. Each culture was well thought out and the magic system was developed. The story was interesting. The problem was the structure was wobbly. I know I’m really picky about structure but it felt as if it destroyed tension and suspense here and was just generally dislocating. I enjoyed this book but it left me vaguely dissatisfied at the same time.

Another beautiful cover that I wished I would have fallen for. The world building was great and beautiful. The issue I had with this one was the story and how it was told. The time jumps just didn't work for me at all. I wished that the author would have better formed. Because it felt sloppy. And I just really felt like it was two different characters.

From Fire and Shadows is an interesting start to this series that really just isn't for me. Regardless, the world-building is good and the characters are considerably charming. The story has a dreamy and whimsical aspect to it that would like to see in more fantasy novels.

I'm sad to admit that this book just wasn't for me. The writing was lacking and while I enjoy character-driven stories, it felt as though the author took to long to introduce the point of the story. By the time is had done so I was quite far along in the book and the initial allure of the characters and world were beginning to wear off.

There are six power lineages in the story, Aite (power over time-extinct), Bas (power over death and the dead), Beatha (power over life), Inntinn (power over the mind), Nadarra (power over natural things, and Uine (power over space -extinct).

There are two storylines in this novel. One of Theodora’s and the other, of Kai’s.

The first three chapters tell us about Theodora who grew up at the House. It is the home for girls without power. She had no memories of her life before the House. When she turned six years old, a comforting melody appears in her dreams or nightmares almost every other night. This melody was asking her to do something she doesn’t understand. When she decided to follow the melody, she went out of the House and to the forest. She stopped at a forest pool that glowed an electric blue. Out of curiosity, she dips her finger into the pool. Never did she realized that this will be the cause of the death of the 17 innocent people living in the House.

Due to the fire incident that burned the House, Theodora was taken to the village and was kept at the attic of a dark green house. On the fourth day, she met Gunnar, who took her out of the village house to her new home.

In another territory called Bas, we follow the story Kai, a half-blood like Theodora and a Death Arm’s warrior. Kai is an occasional assassin following the orders of Gothar, cinn (leader) of Ann Eadar.

It might take several chapters before the two main characters will meet. But the in-between events will capture your interest and imagination.

The rest of the story will take us into different magical places and interesting supporting characters. There is an interesting revelation near the end that will surely capture your attention up until the last page.

Good thing I’ve been patient enough to finish it. It has taken several chapters to get to know the backstories of the main characters. Several Scottish Gaelic words were used in the story that it would have been better if the glossary was placed at the beginning of the novel. I’ve only come to know that there was a glossary when I finished the last chapter. 😀

I enjoyed reading this novel. It's a magical world, has interesting characters and the concept of the story is unique. I would like to know what happens to Theodora and Kai in the next book! If you're a fan of fantasy, adventure, and magic, I recommend this book to you!

I’m grateful to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review the eARC of this novel.

Absolutely loved this book!! I’m reading all things fantasy at the moment and this just ticked all the boxes! The author has written Theodoras story well and definitely gave me some Geralt vibes with Gunnar....

It was fast paced but also very descriptive and explored character personalities very well.

I’d recommend this to anyone who is fans of all books fantasy and magical.

(Can’t review on Amazon just yet)

From Fire and Shadows is a really interesting YA book about a girl Thea and how she comes into her powers. There is another story that runs parallel about a man named Kai and his powers. I had a problem with the two stories running side by side since they did not really intersect until near the end. At least I don’t think they did, but maybe they did and I just did not figure it out. It is easy to get confused. Anyway, Thea’s story was very interesting and I really enjoyed that part. I really loved her character as well as Gunnar and the other old man who helps her out. The Kai storyline was confusing for me. I just could not get into it. There are so many characters to keep track of on his side that I gave up trying. I think that if you like YA fantasy and you can juggle multiple characters and plot points this book will be a pleasant surprise.

Title: From Fire and Shadows
Author: J. F. Baptista
Pub. Date: August 15, 2020
Rating: 2 (DNF at 19%)

This will be a mini, spoiler free review. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested and downloaded this book, I figured it was going to be an underrated, new fantasy that I would love. Based on the synopsis, I was excited. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get invested. I hate DNFing books before at least 25%, but sometimes you have to.

Ultimately, I was bored.

I can’t explain it. Especially since I thought the writing was pretty good, the world came to life and it seemed interesting in the beginning.

I will say that it’s hard to get behind a 6-year-old MC - Theodora. Now, I did read some reviews – I was trying to figure out if I should power through – and she does apparently age up. But this doesn’t happen until like, the halfway mark.

Now, if she’d been 6 y/o for a few chapters to set the stage, that’s fine. I’m good with that. But besides her being 6 y/o she didn’t feel 6y/o. She comes across really mature, and I started questioning myself if she was actually 6y/o or if I’d just imagined reading that.

I also was a bit confused with what the world was. Yes, the writing, the descriptions brought the world to life (in my opinion) but I didn’t understand the rules of the world. I didn’t get the politics. Granted, I didn’t finish the book, so many this is an unfair assessment, but if I’m still confused about your world at almost a quarter of my way through your book, then what can I say? I think it has so much promise, and I really did find it interesting, and was kind of looking forward to seeing what was going to happen.

Then there were the chapters with Kai, the other POV in this book. They were just confusing. Again, this deals with not understanding the world, it’s mechanics, the politics. Any other fantasy, and I would’ve pegged him as the love interest, or the antagonist, or antagonist love interest (enemies to lovers??) but Theodora is SIX YEARS OLD, and Kai is at least 19 (I think?) and the magical beings in this book can live for hundreds of years…

Basically, I wanted things explained and not hid behind relatively pretty words and descriptions.

Tying all my issues together, I just ended up bored with legit no desire to keep reading. It took me like, three hours to read 10% of this book, because I just wasn’t invested. I wish I had been. It sounded like something I would really like.

This book comes out August 15, so if you think it might be something you might like, feel free to check it out! Maybe one day in the future, I’ll give it another chance.

I liked the writing a bit more than the story. The world and general conflicts were easy to believe in, but I didn't connect to it very much. I also think Theodora was more interesting than Kai, but still a bit unmoored. Maybe this story would've worked better as a duology, combining the world building and the character arc through a beginning and then to the central conflict.

I read this thanks to NetGalley.

I enjoyed it - and I want to read the sequel - but, even though it's a long book, it could perhaps have been longer. There's a fascinating world there, and it's obviously been thought about and created in detail, but at times it was really hard to keep up. I suspect that as the series develops lots of thing will become clearer, and we are in the company of Thea, who doesn't really understand much at the start, so maybe it's appropriate that we don't know much, either.

It's definitely the start of a series, not a stand-alone book - partly because it ends on a bit of a "dot dot dot" and partly because of the above. I definitely want to find out what happens next.