I hadn't heard anything about this book and then a tweet from the author popped onto my twitter describing the premise & I instantly went searching for an ARC. The Boy With Fire is an excellent start to what looks to be an epic series, and I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for book two.

In the Kingdom of Ravence, fire is revered for fire brought the kingdom to life, and fire will end it. Elena Ravence is the heir to the throne, trained in all the ways of statecraft and war, her one failing is that she cannot hold fire, Something that will determine her right to rule. When her father hears news of a Prophet rising, one that will call the Phoenix and destroy Ravence as we know it, he knows what he must do to ensure his legacy survives. With war looming from multiple sides, he seeks to strengthen his kingdom by marrying Elena to Samson Kytuu someone with control over a vast army, but Samson brings with him the deserter Yassen Knight. A past assassin, he now swears an oath to free Ravence of the Arohassin. But things are never quite what they seem. Alliances will be forged, deceptions will be brought to light and before long sides must be chosen. For the Phoenix rises and all who stand against him will burn.

The Boy With Fire is told from three main POV's: Elena Ravence, Leo Ravence and Yassen Knight. Elena is heir to the throne. She has been trained to take over since birth, and now just one thing stands in her way, her inability to control fire. She both revers and fears the flames that took her mother from her, but she knows she must learn to control them if she is to rule. Elena goes though some big life events in this book, and it's hard not to feel for her situation. She is incredibly strong willed and defiant, but has always had someone looking out for her, someone she could rely on to get her out of stick situations, and when that changes, she struggles to come to terms with having no one watching her back. Her character growth is pretty epic, as we progress through the book she comes to certain realisations, about herself, her family and her kingdom, all things that made her ending that much more explosive.

Leo Ravence, the King of Ravence. His was a fantastic POV to read, and one we so rarely see brought to life in stories. As Elena's father, he only wants what is best for his daughter. So when he hears rumours of a Prophet being awoken, he does some pretty dark and unforgiving things to ensure Elena's rule. Though I definitely didn't agree with his actions, because we get his POV we get to see the reasoning behind it. He is equally afraid of the fire and what it could do to Elena, he knows he will burn eternally for what he has done, but believes it to be in the Kingdoms and his daughters best interest.

Yassen Knight is an ex assassin and such a huge cinnamon roll. He never wanted a life of killing, but being an orphan left him few options and the Arohassin ensured he was fed and had a roof over his head. He's someone who keeps his truth close to his chest, and it's only towards the end of the book that he really starts to open up. He know's Elena would see him burn, but he will protect her if that is what it takes to ensure his freedom. Verma also doesn't hold back when it comes to bringing to life her side characters, there were plenty of none POV characters who had a pivotal part to play in the plot, and they were all brilliantly crafted.

The world building in this book was off the charts. Verma weaves together modern/future weapons and technology with the belief system of a more traditional world, and while at first it definitely threw me a little, once I got into the story I realised just how well the two blended together. Ravence is based on Indian culture, mythology and history and Verma certainly pulls no punches when it comes to show how cultures more 'technologically advanced' than those treat them as lesser for their beliefs. Definitely not for the faint of heart, there are plenty of epic battle scenes as well as some quite graphic descriptions of people being burnt to death, but for me all this added to the atmosphere of the story and made both the world and characters come to life.

My one slight issue? I felt the romance was a little forced. It's enemies to lovers which I LOVE but it just seemed too quick a turnaround for me to really get invested. I knew where it would be going, who the author wanted to end up with who, but it felt like one sentence Elena wanted him dead, and then the next they were kissing. The romance doesn't play a huge part in the plot, so it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. I just would have liked their relationship to be a little more developed before anything had happened.

There are multiple plot twists thrown in to ensure the story flows well, and it ends on one hell of a cliffhanger ensuring readers will be eager to see what she has in store for book two. The Boy With Fire was a brilliant start to a series I will definitely be continuing with.

I liked the world-building and the characters, especially Leo, but I struggle to finish this book for the pace and the romance. I do love enemies to lovers but this was not that trope, the differences are quickly solved and the relationship didn't felt well built, I couldn't connect with them as a couple.

I absolutely enjoyed Apama Verma’s debut novel, it was an amazing fantasy read. The world that Velma created within The Boy With Fire, Sayon was incredible and I loved navigating through it. The multiple POV of Yassan Knight, Elena Ravence and Leo Ravence was really nice as they were such different people. There is definitely historical trauma throughout as well as Indian mythology. I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other as well as the way they made me feel. This is a definite reread for me

It was a strong written debut but unfortunately the pacing wasn't my taste. it was slow in the beginning and hard to really get into the story and the world - although I do think the world building it self was done well. I also felt no attachment to the characters which is usually what draws me into a story. I can still enjoy a book if it has weird pacing and even if the plot isn't that interesting (not necessarily the case for this story though) but if the characters do not pull me in then I am lost and it can be hard to read. Overall I thought the writing was beautiful just not my cup of tea.

Final rating : 4,5/5 🌟

Let me tell you, I am obsessed with this book.


It's the perfect balance between sci-fi and fantasy for me. The morally grey, charismatic characters. The Indian inspired setting. The political intrigue. The desert atmosphere. The rollercoaster of emotions. The plot twists that completely got me.

It's a very fast paced, captivating, action packed book. I really CAN'T wait to learn more of the story!

“The Boy With Fire” is a fantasy book inspired by Indian mythology filled with morally grey characters and corruption arcs. The story starts with Yassen Knight, an assassin on the run after an incident from his last job leaves him vulnerable to attacks. But his childhood friend gives him a way out, by protecting the heir of Ravence from Yassen’s previous employers.

Elena Ravence is the heir to the throne, a bold and confident soon to be queen but she cannot weird fire which is paramount as it is seen as a divine right for her family to rule. She must learn how to wield it or she will lose the crown and die under its flames. Despite her father, King Leo, being a welder he refuses to help her learn. He hopes to save her from the sacrifice that comes with being a welder.

I enjoyed this book and liked how detailed the world building was and how the characters were written but the plot and pacing fell short for me. The pacing was inconsistent all throughout the book and the plot could be a hit or miss.

“The Boy With Fire” was a good debut and has a lot of potential for the future books of the series.

The Boy With Fire is a rich Sci-Fi Fantasy world inspired by Indian mythology and featuring multiple point of views.

Of those three POVs you follow two royals of the kingdom of Ravence, Leo and Elena, who are willing to do anything for their kingdom. Even so, both characters are quite different, with Leo being more of a ruthless king, willing to sacrifice his people for the future of his kingdom and Elena who prioritizes the people themselves. The third POV is this assassin named Yassen tasked as Elena's bodyguard, who honestly just needs a break (please give the poor guy a break in the next book Aparna).

The plot centers on the coronation of our lovely headstrong MC Elena, who's meant to take the crown from her father soon but much to her dismay, still can't hold fire, an embarrassing fact that needs to be rectified or else she can't become queen. Meanwhile said father is out here pretty preoccupied because he has to chase down a certain someone that could blow up his kingdom to smithereens. Literally. Yassen throughout is sort of just trying to live his life and get by, he gets swept up into things for... reasons, but he just wants to live quietly on the mountainside. Too much to ask? Apparently so.

The worldbuilding is definitely what carried the story I'd say. The mix of Sci-Fi and Fantasy is done in a really natural way. Usually I don't like Sci-Fi but the more tech aspects are a compliment to the world of Sayon and help shine its uniqueness. On top of that there are also diverse races around the fantastical world, each with their specific characteristics. For example, a race of people whose hair can turn as strong as steel. Yes, you heard that right.

As for cons, I did get a little unmotivated to read about halfway mostly because the book isn't that fast-paced since it really tries to explore the world and its history (though I was also in a bit of a reading slump, so that may have just been me too). I do also feel like we didn't get to have that much time getting to know the characters other than the main three because of the emphasis on the worldbuilding, but it didn't get in the way of enjoying the story.

Overall, a great book! I think anyone who reads YA fantasy would love this book. Especially the character Elena, I find her to be a refreshing take on the headstrong empowering female MC simply because I don't find find her annoying. Oh, and if you love firebending or the fire nation from ATLA, I think this is something you'll enjoy!

[3.5] This book was quite a ride! An intricate fantasy world heavily inspired by Indian culture and I know per the authors note also influenced by Indian mythology (although not a retelling). As a fellow desi I always love to see Indian characters and culture being represented and it’s so amazing to see so many books out there today that have that representation that I would have loved when I was younger.

The books plot is seen from three different views. Yassen an assassin who previous worked with a group known as Arohassin, and is now trying to earn his freedom by protecting Elena the princess of Ravence. Leo her father, is the King of Ravence a ruthless man determined to protect his people at whatever cost. I really had to read a little bit to get the hang of all the different places and what everything meant. The plot is essentially this: Fire. Just kidding but also not really.

Okay but for real. Each character is very complex. Neither completely good or bad. They all have a cause they believe in. Leo as the leader of Ravence can control fire. Elena’s biggest struggle is controlling fire which she needs to in able to lead her country. She wants to be a better leader and take care of her people. Leo is much more ruthless and his main concern is finding the Prophet, a powerful deity who can wreak havoc on their country. Yassen’s main goal and hope is freedom. An orphan who is half Jantari (the enemy of Ravence) he was recruited with a group of assassins from a young age and is now hoping to be free at last. Every character believes they are doing what is right and everyone is hiding something.

Some things I liked about the book were: The characters. Like I already said, they’re very complex in terms of their personal plot lines. I will say it did take me a little bit to get attached to them and enjoy their chapters. Leo was probably the most interesting to read about because he was a very morally grey character from the very beginning. But I did eventually
get to be invested in them. I also enjoyed the detail of mythology and religion that. The author clearly put a lot of work into creating this world and the lore of the Phoenix and the history of Ravence was all very interesting.

I did find the plot confusing at times but they may have just been me trying to grasp new terms and put together what’s happening. It just seems like the plot could jump all over times especially with the different point of views. I also feel like the first half of this book was kind of slow. I understand though that the author needs to set the world and explain the mythology and religion. But I think the last part of the book was definitely the most intense part of the book where I really got caught up. The romance between Yassen and Elena was pretty fast but I still liked it. Wish it could have been developed a little bit more and now I don’t know if it will because of that ending!!!! I mean it’s a trilogy so I’m holding out hope. Also that final twist at the end!! I did suspect that Samson was alive and I also did think he might be the prophet just because there really wasn’t anyone else I thought who it could possibly be. Still I was screaming internally! All in all I think it was a very good start to a series and now that I’m more familiar with the world I think I can only enjoy it more from here. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions stated here are my own.

This book has everything I could ever want in a YA fantasy. It has an enemies-to-lovers romance between a princess and her guard that's wonderfully slow burn and well written. It has a fascinating POV from the morally-gray king that shows his path to tyranny and madness. And most of all, it has FIRE BENDING. This book basically fulfills my wish of a fire-bending book similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender. The world building, magic system, and religion in this book are so well developed and rich. I don't think I can say enough nice things about this book. I'll definitely be reading its sequel!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you, Aparna Verma and NetGalley, for the ARC!

“To be forgiven, one must be burned”

The Boy with Fire includes:
-Enemies to Lovers
-Dune x Poppy War
-Indian Mythology
-Adult Fantasy
-Morallly grey MCs
-Slow burn romance

Elena is a princess who is the heir to the Ravenance Throne and is preparing to ascend it. Leo however is not ready to give up the crown just yet. Yassen is an ex-assassin and he is on the run. He seeks refuge with Samson, his childhood friend and is offered an irresistible deal, defend the heir of Ravence to earn freedom.

Since we are in Week 2 of South Asian Heritage Month: South Asian Literature, I wanted to talk about a recent favourite read of mine.

I first discovered this book on TikTok after seeing fan art posted by Aparna herself. I was obsessed with it and a couple days later an arc was available to request on NetGalley and I was lucky to get approved for it. This book is an amazing debut novel and I can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy after that ending. It is written in 3 distinct character POVs: Elena, Yassen and Leo(the dilf). I thought I wouldn't be as interested in Leo’s pov, but it was very interesting to follow him. I was a bit worried as it is Adult Fantasy and I usually get lost during the world building however, the world-building was written so beautifully and I was able to follow it. The most important thing I enjoyed were the morally grey characters and villain protagonists since it kept me on my toes. As I was nearing the end of the book I was reading so fast and was on the edge of my seat. I've been discovering so many books by South Asians this year and I'm delighted to add Aparna Verma as one my favourites.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Even though this is categorised as Adult Fantasy I would definitely encourage YA Fantasy readers to check this book out as well. It comes out on August 31st this year so be sure to pre-order as Aparna recently announced pre-orders for paperback are available now.

Thank you to @netgally and @newdegreepress for an e-arc.

I've seen a lot of hype for the book over on Twitter which is why I got curious and once I heard what the book is about I was immediately intrigued.
Since this is the debut of the author, I didn't have too high expectations, because I didn't want to ruin the book by having too high expectations and I have to say, that this was the right things to do.

Getting into the novel wasn't too difficult and I was quickly able to orientate myself within the world. I have to say, that worldbuilding is definitely a strength of the author! I also quickly found a liking to the autthor's writing style. It was simple, but still quite beautiful and it flowed very nicely.

I have to say, that the first half of the story was pretty much of a 3-star read for me. The pacing was a little too slow for my taste with not a lot happening. But the first half set up the world and the characters nicely. Usually, I tend to mix up characters, especially when there are a lot of them, but this was not the case with this novel. The characters were all very distinct from each other.
Once I got to the second half of the novel, the pacing picked up a lot and the second half managed to keep my attention a lot more than the first half. It was exciting and I just didn't want to stop reading because I had to know what happens next. And I truly did not expect some of the revelations. Especially the last one. That absolutely blew my mind and I cannot wait for the sequel.

Unfortunately, the character's relationships fell a little flat for me and their developments. I wish we had gotten some more and deeper develpments, especially between Yassen and Elena. I did not really feel the chemistry between them but I hope that in the sequel, this will change and that all of the characters (or at least those that are still alive) will get some more development.

Overall, this is a very solid debut and I'm excited to see what Aparna Verma has to offer in future books!

Now I was really looking forward to reading this book after hearing it's an Indian inspired fantasy dealing with morally ambiguous characters but I was mildly disappointed.

It is definitely a solid debut with Aparna's lucid writing and gripping lore, however, I found the pacing to be quite slow and for more than half of the book, a lot of things felt repetitive. The characters and the dynamics between them, too, felt underdeveloped (especially Ferma, she had a lot of potential and i think we were robbed of her.)

Yet I would like to add I actually never saw that ending coming so I'm definitely intrigued to see how this trilogy would go.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this brilliant book by debut author Aparna Verma!

If you want a South Asian fantasy with enemies-to-lovers, betrayal, prophecies, and sacrifice, this is the book for you.

As a person of Indian descent, this South Asian-inspired fantasy/sci-fi is something I wish I'd read when I was younger. This is the representation that would have changed my life as an impressionable young reader.

The worldbuilding is absolutely beautiful. Verma's descriptions of landscape are visceral, which transported me to the deserts and the mountains along with the characters. The sights, the sounds, and the smells woven in made it so easy for me to fully immerse myself in the world. I especially like that the differences between the regions were made clear, and there was no room for ambiguity. This made the world unique - I can definitely foresee the kingdoms being Verma's signature in the future.

As a huge fan of mythology and lore, having the faith of the Phoenix as an omnipresent theme in the book was an excellent touch. The lore brought meaning to the magical abilities of the characters, highlighting the importance of balance in power. Also, the emphasis on the consequences of wielding fire is something I enjoyed reading. It sheds light on the obsession that drives power-hungry characters to madness, proving that having powers is not always a good thing.

Onto my favourite part - the characters. It's exceptionally difficult to write characters who are both imperfect and likeable at the same time, but Verma has done just that. Each of her characters are flawed in their own way, but I didn't find myself angry at them for any of their actions. The characters felt real, and make the readers feel seen. All of them have their own roles to play - Elena as the future queen, Leo as her father, Yassen as her guard, Samson as her fiancé, and Ferma as her advisor.

Elena is a clear favourite of mine due to how much I could relate to her. The heir of Ravence is headstrong, determined, and willing to do anything to protect her kingdom, which includes rash decisions here and there. I was transfixed during her efforts to wield Fire; my mind blocked out everything to focus on her powers just as she did. Meanwhile, her father Leo is the unhinged parent that will not stop at anything to ensure the safety of his daughter, and with her, the kingdom. Leo Ravence is the epitome of family comes first, and his internal struggles only made his story richer. Then we have Yassen, an assassin tasked with guarding the to-be queen, who comes with his own demons. Yassen is incredibly intelligent, and despite his debilitating injury, he is able to overcome nearly everything that is thrown in his path.

Ferma and Samson are intriguing side characters. Where Leo is Elena's father, Ferma takes on a maternal role. As her Spear and her closest friend, Ferma is a true asset to the story. Of course, having the ability to cut people with her hair only made her more lovable. Samson proved to be the greatest surprise of all. The beloved general and dashing fiancé is alluring from his first mention, and there is a lot more to him than meets the eye.

Overall, all the elements come together to form a beautiful and gut-wrenching tale of faith, thrones, loyalty, and love. My smiles turned to sobs and screams while reading, and as any reader knows, that's the mark of a great book. While the wait after that epilogue will be painful, I truly look forward to reading the rest of the Ravence trilogy!

5 out of 5 stars!

The Boy with Fire is a pretty solid debut. It has a lot of flaws, but overall it's enjoyable, if not somewhat tedious. My biggest problem was the pacing; the first 60% of the book felt too slow, as if nothing was happening. I can appreciate slow paced stories, but in that case the story needs well fleshed out characters, and I didn't see that as much in this novel. I enjoyed Leo the most in the cast of characters, and he seemed the most layered and interesting of them all. Yassen and Elene seemed nice at first, but as the story progressed they lost their intriguing aspects and what we got were standard character archetypes that aren't exactly exciting to read about, especially given such a slow pace in the first half of the book.
A separate compliment goes to the worldbuilding; the various aspects of the cultures, the desi-inspired elements added a nice flare to the story and helped with immersion. I really liked the fire magic!
The prose was also quite nice; I especially enjoyed the dance sequence and the action sequences.
Overall, I think this series will only improve as time goes on and I hope to see more from this author!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holy smokes, this was excellent! What a vibrant world. Pacing was great with very few slow parts. Nice twist at the end, I thought I had figured it out but was pleasantly surprised by the twist. Wonderfully written characters with good development and the fight scenes were beautiful. Written so well it was like watching a movie.

4.5/5 stars rounded up.

This book was a wild ride in the best possible way. It made me laugh, it made me sob, it made me suffer. I went into The Boy with Fire knowing that it was very likely going to be a character driven book—and it did not disappoint. I feared that with the amount of POVs there would be very little time to properly develop the characters, but that wasn't the case. Verma balances plot and characters and manages to create a compelling story about the lengths one will go to ensure peace and attain freedom.

She creates a story that delves into the darkness of human beings, in this case her three main characters: Elena Ranvence, Yassen Knight, and Leo Ravence. The book promised morally grey characters and it 100% excelled in that department. It raises the question of good versus bad; Leo wants what's best for his country and his daughter, but is his execution the correct one? It's a repeating pattern: greater good faced with tough decisions. And yet, the characters have unique and different voices, and goals of their own snaking around the main plot, forcing them to face the reality of what they desire.

Elena's strength and quick-witted mind charmed me. She is fierce and strong, but also falls prey to the writhing darkness of her own desires. Yassen was perhaps the least developed of the characters, but he ended up being my favorite. Leo, on the other hand, is the one who stole my heart; for the all wrongs that he did, I could tell he was fundamentally good. The only issue is the execution. It takes talent to be able to do this; to create characters that go around doing things in the wrong ways while having their interests in the right place, and Aparna Verma does just that—and without trying to justify or excuse their doings. Even though I find them to be pretty well developed, I still wish we would've gotten more. Still, in terms of characters, this book is stellar.

The true star of this book, however, is the worldbuilding. It isn't often that I encounter such a beautifully fleshed out world, and that's exactly what Verma created. The culture, the architecture, the food, the religion. It was all masterfully and flawlessly crafted, and it is a world I'd love to visit. It was the religious themes in particular what called my attention; it's something I'm always drawn to. The little tidbits and excerpts from scrolls, plays, and proverbs at the beginning of the chapters, made the overall experience much more interesting, to the point that I wish I could read the book on the History of Sayon.

This book doesn't come without its heartbreaking twists, so let me tell you: be prepared. The Boy with Fire does not shy away from harsh, dark, and gripping themes. Just when you think things are finally looking up—boom. It was beautifully painful.

The writing style was, simply put, gorgeous. The prose is a great mix of flowery and practical; not too complicated, but not too simple. The perfect mix to immerse us readers into this very much complex story and universe. My kindle is full ok highlighted quotes from almost every single chapter. I could go on and on talking about this book, like, forever. It now sits snugly in my top 5 books of all time. I'm sure you all will love it too.

Verma spins a dark, gripping tale of discovering how deep and far you’re willing to go to attain your goals. Freedom, peace, atonement; they drive the story to a point of no return and so—when is it enough? What must one do to attain redemption?. The stakes are higher than ever as we await the sequel, and I truly can’t wait to see what else Aparna Verma does with this wonderful series.

When I first heard about The Boy with Fire I was immediately intrigued. The book is described as Dune meets The Poppy War which are two books that I enjoyed immensely. Therefore I had high expectations for this novel, and Aparna Verma managed to exceed every one of them.
The Boy with Fire is, by far, one of the most entertaining books I've read this year, and a breath of fresh air. The author from the first page sets you right in the mood for the book, with the writing, the aesthetic. If you love or want a story inspired by Indian mythology with science fiction, romance, a good cast of characters with desi representation, badass women, who are morally grey then you should definitely pick this book up!
I am very very excited to read the sequel!

It was so good , I couldn't put it down . The indian representation won over my heart , everyone needs to give it a try

Wow, this book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. The story itself was beautifully written with STUNNING detail that painted the world of Sayon in glorious colours. I loved getting to see the points of view of Elena, Yassen and Leo as it allowed you to see the full spectrum of events happening within the book, I looked forward to every viewpoint! The plot twist at the end had me gasping in utter shock. Despite having had ever changing theories, the answer to my questions left me speechless. There was so much that was perfect in this book: the diversity, the powerful females, the character flaws, and I need to make a special mention to the INCREDIBLE clothing descriptions which blew me away. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone I know, and I can't wait until the rest of the series comes out!!

I feel like The Boy with Fire had great potential to be a solid debut especially since the writing was really good-- it was simple but also beautifully worded and there were a lot of memorable quotes throughout the book, and the world and the lore were both very interesting. However, this book had too many misses. Firstly, the pacing was... not good at all. Reading through the first half felt like a slog even though it wasn't even that long. There really wasn't anything significant that was happening and there were even times when it felt a little too repetitive. The pacing definitely got better when I reached the 70% mark, which was the reason why I decided not to dnf and just push through til the end of the book. But it took too long and the payoff, unfortunately, wasn't really worth it in my opinion. Now usually I can excuse bad pacing if I find myself engrossed by the characters, but for this book that wasn't the case. I'm a character-driven story kind of reader so this was probably the biggest issue to me. The characters felt flat-- I formed no emotional attachment towards them and I couldn't care less about their motivations or backstories. Furthermore, the characters were just so underdeveloped to the point where their relationships with one another just felt forced and awkward. The author has potential for sure but there's still more room for improvement.