Thank you Girl Friday Books and NetGalley for this Arc.

This is a fast read. It's has s lot of fairytale, magical elements that I'm sure will find it's reader. While I didn't hate this book, I also didn't like it either. I found it not very memorable at all, couldn't form any type of emotional attachment to these chracters or their motivation. Romance didn't work well at all, once again I could understand motivations or actual emotions.

Really wasn't my cup of tea.

This was a wonderful quick read that felt more like a fairy tale. Tess and her friends are the perfect kind of characters, the ones that I would want to be friends with in real life. I will say that the side plot was a bit strange, as well as uncomfortable as Tess was kissed without her consent, as well almost forced to comply with the character’s wishes.

Other than that, it was a good read to start June off with. Thank you to NetGalley, Girl Friday Books and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Fyrians Fire is a political YA fantasy book, I've seen some mention that this is more a middle grade book but honestly the complexity of the political alliances and groups is better fitting to the YA grouping it falls into.

The story started really strong with lots of moments of tense decision making and action, I could really feel the upset and turmoil of the main character and those around her and it hit deep but this did take a dip at around 35%-70%. What was initially fast paced and action filled became meet and greet, dialogue and lore of magic and the political alliances that were being made to fill the plot. The last part of the book picked back up but there is certainly a slow pace for the mid section of the book. However this section of the plot did lend to the world building which is lush and fulfilling with lots of description of The Forest and a lore behind the magic system and its origin.
The setting gave me 'Over the Woodward Wall' feelings with the talking animals of the forest.

There are twist and turns to the plot that work really well particularly around the animals of the world, I would have loved the intensity of feeling to have continued throughout and to have learnt more of the relationships but the characters do develop well particularly Tess who uses experiences in the plot to form a better understanding of herself and learns to place grater importance on herself.
I was all for Tess with as certain 'bad boy' character, it has great love triangle potential from early on, however, I felt a lot of confusion over their initial interactions and reactions together, I felt the characters would have had more to say about the events that happened but these feelings/thoughts were not addressed, instead we focused mostly on Tess and her short comings in regards to another character. I think it would have helped to have had more early interaction with Tynaiv as he was the most captivating character for me.

Dialects and accents are used with characters adding depth and quality to the characters and the atmosphere.
All in all it was good, well written and almost lyrical but Id have loved a bit more tension and simplicity to the sub plots.

Thank you to NetGalley and Girl Friday Books for the advanced copy

First, some things you should know.

This book was listed in the category of “Christian” when I received it for review, though Amazon hasn’t labeled it as such. It is a clean book, but it is definitely not Christian in theme. They pray to the stars and the magic/mythological elements of the story do not reflect the arc of the Biblical narrative. Like C.S. Lewis, I love how fantasy can take the reader “past watchful dragons,” but this story didn’t contain any hint of that element. That’s not to say that I didn’t like the book, just that it wasn’t, as advertised, a Christian book.

Second, this book was compared to Narnia. It was nothing like Narnia except for the talking animals. Narnia is absolutely dripping with Biblical truth and the narrative arc of the series grows entirely from a gospel framework. This story has none of that foundation. Again, that’s not to say that I didn’t like the book, but the comparison is completely misleading.

Now, I will say that though the book wasn’t what it was advertised to be, I did like the book for what it was. The book was creative, clean and the characters grew to see beyond their own understandings and self-centeredness. There were elements of loyalty, honor and self-sacrifice. If your kids are reading it I think it would be well worth having a conversation comparing the gospel and the world view of this novel, but as far as a good story goes I think this one is well written and engaging. I expect I’ll read the rest of the series when it comes out and see where the author takes it.

I received a free digital galley of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Meh...I don't have a ton to say about this one. I read it but nothing stuck in my head. The writing had no real voice and I wasn't engaged.

This book is a big No for me. For starters, the dialogue is all in old English which I find very grating in excess. Secondly, the story has a lot of words with very little substance. I was about 30% in without any idea of what had actually occurred in the story. It all felt like one massive maze in the Forest. I’m not attached to the plot or the characters. I believe there are way too many amazing books in the world to force yourself through something that’s meant for a different audience.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book so much! It was an original story about a magical kingdom, featuring talking animals. I loved the characters and their development throughout the story, and I'm fully shipping Tess with a certain bad guy. I loved all of the animals, and I can't wait to see even more of them in the next book. There were some parts in the story that were a bit unbelievable in my opinion, but it was a great story overall. I can't wait for the next book!

Tessamine, Tess, starts off as a character with little to lose. Spurned by the prince on the night of their engagement party, her biggest worry at the beginning of the book was how she could get past this, until she was attacked. Tess goes through an important character arc where she learns to value more than just her reputation and ambitions to marry the prince. Despite her doubts, her ordeal makes her see past her own insecurities and trust her potential.

From the other main characters, Tynaiv stood out as the most interesting, even more than Tessa. Their scenes together were captivating, while his POVs kept me intrigued enough to finish the book. He dominated the scenes he was in, even when he was the one being held at knife's point. His backstory added to his overall character, so much so that I would happily read a book centered just on him.

As far as the other characters go, I didn't find myself connecting with any of them. Ryon was too starry-eyed over the possibility of war, though the reality of his does hit him in the face. Linden was uninteresting, he was petulant in the beginning and mellowed out too late, while his romance with Tess came on too fast, even if it was predictable.

Jeffries crafted an interesting premise, but struggled on the delivery. the biggest problem in Fyrian's Fire was the pacing, or lack of it. The book was meandering at times, each new subplot added complexity that would have been better kept for further into the series, while the constant addition of secondary animal characters made most blend together.

As for the writing, Jeffries' is lyrical in a way that matches the atmosphere of the story. She makes an effort to gives some characters a voice that stands out, occasionally through an accent, which helped differentiates them as the cast grew. This way, the book takes on a fairytale quality that will appeal to some.

Fyrian's Fire by Emily H. Jeffries promised a lot and delivered little. Through some aspects of the book, Jeffries shows her potential to craft a captivating tale, but this one isn't it for me..

A unique tale filled with magical talking animals, sinister enemies and a determined heroine. It was sometimes difficult to keep track of all the different names (especially the different animals) in the book but they were such an interesting addition that I didn’t even mind! The bondfellows reminded me of the daemons in Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights series. From the no-longer-silent horse to the won’t-stop-talking towhee, there’s a host of personalities outside of the human characters in this book. I enjoyed delving into the world of Glademont and discovering more about the Shenìl, whether it was a force for good or evil, and its history.

Between her reluctant fiancé and the charming rogue Tynaiv, Lady Tessamine has her hands full, but all is not as it seems. It was interesting to see how these two relationships played out and also gain insight into Tess’s feelings surrounding her royal marriage later on in the book. Romance in fantasy is one of my favourite things, so I’m hoping there will be a lot more of it further on in the series - although it was nice to see the relationships weren’t rushed or forced in this book, making them feel more genuine and realistic.

Another thing that stood out to me was Tess’s relationship with her younger brother Ryon. They’re a close family and Ryon plays a big part in the narrative. He’s bold and brave, willing to fight for his home and his family. Tess and Ryon are almost two sides of the same coin and both played their part in rescuing the people of Glademont - Ryon the human side and Tess the magical one.

I look forward to seeing where this series goes - and seeing a lot more of Tynaiv!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

To say I struggled with this book would be an understatement. I thought about not finishing a few times (but I'm stubborn that way). I definitely think this does not qualify as YA but more as middle grade. Probably wouldn't have picked this one up if I had known that beforehand. I do think I'm partly to blame here. This book just isn't for me. I couldn't connect to any of the characters and really struggled to follow the story. There did seem to be very little character development.

Fyrian’s Fire
Book 1 of The Fate of Glademont Series
by Emily H. Jeffries
Pub Date 07 Jun 2022
Girl Friday Books
Christian | Middle Grade | Teens & YA
I am reviewing a copy of Fyrian’s Fire through Girl Friday Books and Netgalley:
Lady Tessamine Canyon is jilted by her betrothed, Prince Linden, on the day of her wedding. She is left utterly humiliated, , Tess betrays a tightly guarded secret to an enemy spy — a decision that throws the Dione of Glademont into chaos. Tess flees into the Hinge Forest, passed away to an enemy spy a decision that throws the Dione of Glademont into chaos. It is there with the help of a wild owl and a two-hundred-year-old bear, Tess begins to unlock the forgotten mysteries of her people.
While deep in the woods the spirit of a long-dead dryad awaits the next thane of a fierce weapon. To Tess’s amazement, it is she who is called to master the weapon’s power and save Glademont from an impending war.
After a surprise turn of events reunites Tess with Linden — the prince who called off their engagement. Tess must swallow her pride and join forces with him. But even if Tess can rescue her people, will that be enough to forgive her treason? Armed with a fiery magic, Tess is forced to make an impossible choice, one that might seal her fate as the next thane — but forever extinguish any chance at following her heart.
I give Fyrian’s Fire five out of five stars!
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3.5/5

Fyrian’s Fire by Emily H Jeffries is about a ballerina, Tessamine Canyon, who is about to become queen of her Dione after the prince unexpectedly proposes to her. But after a shocking turn of events, she is jilted by the same prince, and in her confusion and hurt, accidentally reveals a kingdom secret to a charming enemy. Does Tess have what it takes to be the kingdom’s hero? And at what cost?

The writing was generally very good. It was simple yet intriguing and really easy to read.

The world building was excellent. I loved that Jeffries either had her characters travel to or explained the cities/villages that were on the map at the beginning. I also loved the talking animals and the magic system in this world. Very unique and fun to read.

The plot, however, was kind of lacking to me. I also found the formal speaking of the characters to get a little annoying. Like Tess called her dad by Sir Brock all the time. The characters seemed really distant from each other in this way.

All this being said I am looking forward to reading the sequel… which I hope will have more romance in it. Just saying.

2.5 stars.
The cover and the blurb made it seem so interesting. But the story fell flat to me ... the characters were so boring wich affected the story...

Thank you so much for providing me an advanced e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest opinion.

A magical and engaging read.

I wasn't a fan of the characters at first but they managed to captivate me as the story progresses. This novel truly made me appreciate unlikely characters that learned to look into themselves and grow.

Oo I hadn’t expected this ! I almost got Lewis Carroll vibes as we get sentient, talking creatures ! Plus a conflicted heroine who perhaps starts out a little vapidly but definitely stands by her choices as the story progresses. It surprised me as I came to care for these characters and I fear our heroines journey is far from over.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Vermin and vinegar! What an adorable book with a fantastic adventure and world-building. I was with Prince Linden on the first impressions of Tess — she came off as a bit naïve and immature at the start. No worries though, as this sets you up to see her growth and come into her own as the story progresses.

I think this is a cute and clean YA fantasy, with emphasis on the young side, perhaps 5th/6th grade level and up… The writing is easy-to-follow and highlights a story full of nature and friendship. My favorite parts of the book are the animals and their humor. They each had their own personalities. The relationship interactions kept me guessing, but I still wanted to get more of Linden’s POV. Overall, a charming read. I also loved the cover art and enjoyed the simple black and white illustrations.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Girl Friday Books for allowing me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of Fyrian’s Fire by Emily H. Jeffries. This YA, Christian, fantasy novel will be released in June 2022. All opinions are my own.

On the first night of the festival celebrating her upcoming marriage to Prince Linden, Lady Tessamine Canyon finds herself betrayed and humiliated. Danger is coming to the peaceful Dione of Glademont and Tess is thrust into the middle of it when the queen bestows a great weapon to her. It is her job to keep the item a secret and protect it until she can learn to wield it and save her home.

This book was interesting. I liked the synopsis and was looking forward to the story. That being said it moved slowly and left me wanting in many areas. The fantasy world itself with talking animals and bonded animals is intriguing. I think there could have been more development in the world-building to flesh out this component. I found it really intriguing and compelling, but was more than a little confused at the start of the story. This is a huge element of the story too as it conveys the themes of acceptance and working together for the greater good. The magical elements were also interesting and unique. More history about the magic was given as the book progressed and I found myself enjoying the second half of the book far more than the first half. The book moves kind of slowly and misses opportunities to develop characters more fully. Overall, it’s an okay story. Though listed as YA on Net Galley, it is definitely middle grade appropriate.

I really liked the premise behind Fyrian's Fire! The story is well written and super engaging. The characters are colorful and memorable and you’ll be taken on an adventure that won’t be easily forgotten. I highly recommend it!

The book was absolutely amazing and very interesting! i would totally recommend it for people who like to read fantasy. it was a bit confusing at first but then i started understanding it. the characters were enjoyable and the unique world.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was...slow and had alot more potential. It took me a while to read it. It didn't catch my attention very well and I found myself not really carrying what happened next.

2.5 stars