DNF at 10%.

I will not be rating this one, as I only read 26 pages.

There is no recap I could find online, and I do not own book 1 to read what happened last, but this book started off as though we'd all the read last chapter of book 1 in the last hour. I generally remember stories quite well, but the start of Bound by Firelight did not start off at all how I'd remembered Cast in Firelight ending!

I did find myself struggling with the same things I disliked from book 1, though: the overly casual speech and neither POV seeming particularly distinguishable from one another.

I would recommend book 1 to someone looking for a younger side of the YA range fantasy inspired by India, but please take note that this book is written by someone who has no ties to Indian culture or mythology other than being married to someone who is Indian, according to her own author's note.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience. Note: I ended up purchasing a final copy to read in the future.

I love how this book ended and wrapped up the duology so nicely. I was a bit upset with how long out to MC's were separated for, a common plot device many authors use, but once we had them together again, you could feel that chemistry between them leaking off of the pages.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

This book was a satisfying conclusion to the duology. It was fast paced, easy to get into, and overall not a difficult read. I enjoyed the plot and the characters had the same pull as they did in the first book. All in all, a solid read. Check it out!
I loved this YA fantasy series so much, and this was a wonderful ending with a good amount of closure, but also left the world open to imagine what happened next. Thank you to NetGalley and Dana Swift for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest and constructive review!

I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for this Arc.

I loved book1 of this series and rhe sequel is a solid follow up. The magic system in book1 was very interesting and it developed further in this book.
I thoroughly loved it and pacing was very enjoyable.
I did wish Adraa and Jatin were more together than apart for a lot of the book. Also, act 3 new love interest is the worst.

‘Bound in Firelight,’ the sequel to ‘Cast in Firelight’ by Dana Swift was a very solid follow up. Suspenseful, emotional, full of action with a hint of romance—and a really interesting magic system—really enjoyed this one. Absolutely recommend!

I really enjoyed this sequel. I loved the chapter titles, and where the story led these characters. I loved being stuck in the prison world with Adraa as it gave a more personal sense of danger to our character than the previous novel. I loved Jatin's determination to save Adraa. I also felt like the magic system was easier to understand this time around. I found it a little confusing in the first book but it was easier to follow along in this one and the additions to the magic (hand and mind casting) was just cool.
Full review on YouTube

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book cover was so pretty!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for sending me a copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

I cannot even being to explain how much I adored this book! The world is such a rich and beautiful one, and the magic system is so unlike anything I've read before. Every instance of worldbuilding had me wanting so bad to jump into the pages and find myself in Wickery. The world really sucks you in and has you imagining that you're running alongside the characters, and I loved every second of that!

And then the characters keep you glued to the book as well! I absolutely love the feminine power in this book. It was so beautiful to watch these women helping each other and boosting up the strengths of the others. There was so much love pouring out of everyone that it was so sweet to see them all grow together and become what they each wanted most in the world.

I especially love the romance of these books and love that Adraa is her own strong woman first and foremost. She doesn't need saving, but she sure would like a partner to help her through the hard times. The banter is so cute and everything about the romance is just heartwarming.

If you're a fantasy lover, be sure to check these books out! You won't want to miss them!

I love how so many things happened in the book. I could not keep myself from the book because it was so good

I loved the first book in this series SO MUCH! And even had the opportunity to chat with Dana for our book club - Love her! The sequel was really good as well, and I loved so much about it. The writing flows wonderfully, the story is one where you just don't want to put it down. And watching Adraa learn so much about herself and her magic was amazing!

I missed the Adraa and Jatin chemistry for the majority of the book though. I wish they had been on page together more often, as that was such a big part of the reason I enjoyed the first book so much. They were just amazing together!

I also felt like the ending was left wide open. I'm not sure if this was intentional, to allow room for this to become more than a duology? Please say yes, because I feel a bit more unfulfilled than I would like at the end!

Overall, this was a solid 4 star read. The only complaints I have are for my own selfish desires, and I'm not unhappy, just wishing I had more!

While I didn't love it as much as book 1, I still enjoyed this sequel. There were really only 2 things that bothered me. And those were the classic separation of the two main characters that seems to happen in every 2nd book, and the random new female character that I just never saw the point of. Other than that, I enjoyed seeing the reprocussions of the events of book 1 and the growing relationship! The ending was great, amd left it open enough that a book 3 would be fun but I'm also satisfied enough that it isn't needed

Duologies can be hit or Miss for me. This one however worked out so well. It flowed, the pacing was good, and the ending just felt complete. Brava to the author for that!

Now this book picks up right where the first left off. The characters are fun, there are some excellent secondary character which I love, and the writing continued seamlessly and beautifully.

I highly recommend this series to all my YA Fantasy friends and I can’t wait to read this series back to back as a whole.

Thank you netgalley for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

You should get Bound by Firelight ASAP (as well as Cast in Firelight), if you enjoy:

✨ Gods, goddesses & magic;
🔥 Persistent characters;
💖 Hate-to-love relationships;
🗡️ Political treachery.

Such an incredible sequel! Adraa and Jatin are simply amazing. Hopefully, the author is thinking about developing this world because there are some characters about whom I would love to learn more.

Thanks for the e-ARC @PRHGlobal. #partner #ad

Thank you Netgalley and ?Random House Children's Publishing Group/Delacorte Press for allowing me to read and review this title! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After reading Cast by Firelight I had pretty good expectations for the sequel. I think Dana Swift did a good job meeting those expectations but they were not surpassed. The duology is one I would recommend checking out if you liked We Hunt the Flame. The story is a slow build with a fun cast of characters. I liked the magic system and the romance, I thought it was done well.

An overall good ending to an entertaining duology.

4 stars.

Duologies can be hit or miss for me, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well everything wrapped up.

I loved the couple in this book. Jatin and Adraa had a relationship that I loved. They meshed so well together and separately, the character writing and arc were delightful to watch!

The action and intrigue in this second novel proved to be just as interesting and immersive as the first, if not more so. The writing and overall direction of the story were a bit darker than the first, so please check the trigger warnings. Some themes include violence and drug abuse (although done in a fantasy setting). The plot was not rushed and the pacing was consistent and honestly, left me looking for a third book!

Overall, if you enjoy a well-done magic system and want to fall in love with the characters and relationships, I'd highly recommend it. Add in the well-developed plot with action and intrigue, it is a recipe for a well-rounded, enjoyable read!

This is the 2nd book in Dana Swift’s series that started with Cast in Firelight. PIcking up right where it left off this book is full of fun characters and adventure. A beautifully written book that is a nice addition to the series.

In the aftermath of the volcanic eruption that claimed hundreds of lives and damaged the homes of many more, Belwar seeks justice. Who better to point the finger at than the creator of firelight itself: Adraa Belwar. As Adraa goes on trial for endangering and murdering thousands, Moolek begins unveiling his political machinations, as he vies for control of more countries and more power. As always, good old Jatin stays right by Adraa's side despite her recent political ruin. When Adraa unexpectedly confesses on the stand, Jatin and the gang from book one trust in her innocence, fighting to release her from prison and getting to the bottom of who is really to blame.

I LOVED "Cast in Firelight". The cage casting premise was delightful, and I was all for a strong female character who didn't need protecting. The relationship between Jatin and Adraa with the gradual transition from arranged marriage to bitter rivals to guilty love connections to actually in love with the person they're supposed to marry in the first place was adorable and well written. The banter between then made my reading experience so enjoyable.

While the first aspect is obviously absent from this book for the most part (given the plot necessity), the second is still there in some capacity. The stakes are higher, and they have to spend time apart, but the reader is still given a few great moments between the pair. The best part about the second book in this series, however, is the new way Adraa has found to manipulate magic. I felt like this was earned and a great plot device (although predictable) to use in future chapters. I found myself captivated in the action scenes, as I was in the first book, but this time on a larger more drastic scale.

But this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Yes, I'm bitter that the Jatin/Adraa match had lost its spark, and I will say that if there is a book three (since that was left open ended), that relationship will have fizzled out for readers to the point where it'll read boring. But there were a few things that made this book a three star review for me. Minor characters from book one pop up out of nowhere for no other reason than to make an appearance. Moolek's abilities within the magic system Swift established made no sense. And Moolek's motivations seem shallow and unexplored.

Ultimately, how the plot unfolded and the ending, but there were too many parts that felt clunky, awkwardly written, or elided over. I wish instead of two (or three?) books that this could have been one longer book. I still enjoyed book one immensely and know my students who enjoy the fantasy-romance genre will love this pairing as much as I did. Still worth it if for the romance alone!

Bound by Firelight starts off right after the events of Cast in Firelight, where our main characters Adraa and Jatin uncover dark secrets and betrayals of those around them, as well as the politics of being heirs in a blooming war.

It's a light read following intriguing two main characters and how they face different obstacles. The author is not afraid of putting them in difficult situations, which makes us more familiar with them and their personalities. The world of Wickery is vivid and colourful with its magic system, which I appreciate. My only complaint is how the plot did fall a bit short in the middle, where the pace kind of disappeared, but the author quickly picked up the pace after and led me to a very interesting part 2 of the book. Yet it still feels kind of like a filler book 2, even when it does have important events which will play out in (hopefully) later books. Book 1 is my favourite so far, but I'm curious to see where the next installment will lead me.

Over & out. -Nora <3