2.75 stars

I had high hopes for this one. It has so many things I love: enemies to lovers romance, tension and a fantasy world, but I ended up being disappointed. What's frustrating to me about this book is that I had no idea what I was getting into. I did not expect this story to have excessive strong language and graphic sexual content. This book should be classified and marketed as New Adult.

Initially, I wanted to read this book because of how much I've enjoyed the Twin Crown series, which the author co-writes. I follow the author on Instagram, and from what I can tell, she's been very tight-lipped about this new series. I mistakenly assumed The Dagger and the Flame would be similar in tone and style to Twin Crowns, but it is not the case.

This book is told in dual perspective, third person narrative, following Seraphine and Ransom. I love a story with a dual point of view, especially if they're love interests. With a plethora of YA stories using first person, The Dagger and the Flame's third person narrative makes the story both refreshing and more challenging to connect with the characters. I loved Ransom. He is the best character and highlight of the entire story. I loved seeing his growth, his struggle with his trauma and feelings for Seraphine evolve. His chapters were very well done and by far the most interesting to read.

Sera's character is contrast is flat and bland. I can't really tell you what her personality is. She reads more as an archetype of Feyre than a character. I didn't like her and I couldn't connect to her at all, but it's possible the third-person narrative might have had something to do with this. She had no real character growth. She's incredibly selfish and uses people. She gets all the benefits of being a cloak without actually having to be one. There is one part that especially frustrated me. Sera wonders why her childhood friend, whom she thinks of more as a boy toy, hasn't come looking for her. Girl, you really expect him to come looking for you in a city where he's either going to be robbed or killed???

Speaking of world building, I can't imagine any normal person living in the city of Fantome. Apart from the cloaks and daggers, there are no other interactions with any other city dwellers apart from a few brief mentions. For me, it made it hard for me to dispend my belief that anyone would willingly live here under the threat of robbery and murder.

The romance didn't work for me. It's completely lust driven. I needed a lot more swoon. There is one romantic moment in the book that I really, really loved. It's sweet and swoon-worthy. There's yearning, and it just made me so excited for the rest of the romance in the book. But after that scene, the romance takes a sharp nose dive into lust and self-gratification. One thing I thought was a little funny was how many of the secondary characters made multiple remarks on how badly the two main characters want to sleep with each other, almost like plot was using it as a count-down. How many times can someone mention it before it happens? And when it does happen, it's in an alley via hand job when there are monsters literally around the corner. I just need more from a romance in order to be invested in it.

Overall, the story is decent. It did hold my attention. I do think the first half of the book is stronger than the second. The ending is decent. There's plenty of conflict and setup for the sequel. I think I spy a love triangle in the near future.

Content: numerous uses of the F-word and other language, alcohol use, violence including choking, death, sexual references, one open door sex scene similar in spice level to ACOTAR 1

Many thanks to Netgalley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! What an epic story I really like the Romeo and Juliet parallel with the different families. I am definitely going to be purchasing a physical copy of my own!

If you are looking for an enemies to lovers YA romantasy LOOK NO FURTHER!! The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle has exactly what you’re looking for — a lovable animal companion, main characters trying to kill each other then eventually falling in love, dual POV of our female & male MCs, morally grey folks all around, a unique magic system, TOP TIER CHEEKY BANTER and fascinating world building.

This book is a beautiful set up for the series and leaves us wanting MORE MORE MORE - so beware that you are about to become invested!! There are so many fun side characters along with our main characters that keep the story interesting & we’ve got jaw dropping twists and turns.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Simon Teen for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback - this book was a lot of fun & I hope I’ll be considered for an ARC when the next installment in the series comes out. I also look forward to reading more from the author ◡̈

This was a really exciting start to a new fantasy series! The world building and magic system were great and I loved the light vs. dark magic aspect and the opposing Orders of thieves and assassins. This was a true enemies to lovers and I adored Seraphine and Ransom and their slow burn romance full of banter and sometimes stabbing.

The side characters made this even better, most notably Sera’s lovable three legged animal companion. The ending was super action packed and I appreciated how certain things were wrapped up nicely while also setting the stage for future events. I will be anxiously waiting to see what comes next for Sera and Ransom!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dagger and the Flame follows two POVs on opposite sides of a generations-long rivalry for the magical underbelly of a city: the daggers, who use magical (and deadly) Shade to complete assassinations for hire, and the Cloaks, who wear their Shade in clothing that helps them commit thefts & heists.

The worldbuilding in this is a little sparse, and some things don’t make a lot of sense (why is the king okay with thieves? why can’t assassins also steal? why is this entire city seemingly empty of every character except the named characters in the plot 95% of the time?) and there are a slew of side characters that are meant to add interest, depth, additional plot lines, etc but really don’t get fleshed out. We know the most about Ransom’s relationship with Lark and Nadia—not a ton, but a little—but Sera’s found family team just instantly assembles itself. The plot is also reasonably predictable BUT not 100% and not more so than other YA fantasy. I would actually say this is a little less hand-holding, plot wise, than many other YA fantasies and I appreciated that.

However, what I really liked was the relationship between Ransom and Sera. Its enemies to lovers in a way that it makes a ton of sense for them to be enemies, but also not so deep that it makes no sense for them to change their minds. The banter is funny & works, which is so refreshing after reading a bunch of romantasy books this year where “banter” is just two people insulting and cursing at one another. I liked the build up of the relationship.

I do kind of wish this were a standalone. I thought we were headed in that direction until the last few chapters and I feel like it could have been wrapped up without a need to take the story further. I will be picking up book 2 though.

The Dagger and the Flame
by: Catherine Doyle

My rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

An action packed adventure filled with magic and mystery, this YA Romantasy was a fast paced and easy read! A bit predictable if you’re not new to the genre, and I found it to be one dimensional at times.

A must read if you like:
🗡️ Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Dual POV
🗡️ Twisty Plot
🔥 Animal Sidekick

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This was a book I enjoyed reading. The banter between Sera and Ransom was so fun. It took me a little bit to get into the book at first as the setting/characters are set up, but once Sera and Ransom start interacting the story just took off. I giggled multiple times as these enemies picked and fought each other. The magic system of Shade is interesting. I was sometimes confused about how it worked, but I wasn't too worried about that. The side characters and friends of the main two characters were good though I can't say I was too invested in them because the romance had me laser-focused on Sera and Ransom! The issues of the families both main characters came from was very compelling to me. I think that gave a lot of perspective and insight into how they acted in the story. I would say one of the romance scene near the end of the book did seem kind of misplaced given how far it went and the circumstances of the scene. I wish I could read the sequel with how the story ended!!

Something about this book didn't work for me,and I sadly had to dnf it at 18%. I would like to try it again after it is released and see if maybe the physical book is easier for me to get into.

4.75 stars

If you are looking for your next action-packed YA with a strong dose of romance, look no further!

The Dagger and the Flame was an exciting ride all the way through. I was instantly interested in the characters and drawn into their story. I can see this being a popular read amongst YA readers (teens and adults).

If you are looking for a YA romantasy with enemy’s to lovers… this is it! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!

I don’t think I have EVER rooted for a bad guy to be the love interest more than with Ransom! Even before sparks flew I liked this guy. He is bad, but he is changeable right??? Maybe?? I know it’s never a good idea but it could work right?? No?? Just me 🤷‍♀️

I liked the concept of the magical system, there was a point in the middle, I struggled a little and had a “where is this going” moment, but the end was worth it.

This is true enemy to lovers, I am excited to see where the series goes with this!

I like the twist at the end, I saw some things come but not THAT! So excited to see what unfolded in the next book! I am hoping some of the side characters on the Cloak side (now Flames) get a little more time, we seemed to get more introductions into the Daggers in this book.

I really enjoyed this book. And I cannot wait to read the next one!

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

The Dagger and the Flame has been one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2024, which means I was also terrified to read it because I had so high expectations. I NEEDED to like it, and whoa, how I loved it!!

It's a dual POV book, written by Sera's and Ransom's POVs. I love it when books are written by both main characters, and I was delighted when I realized that this was the case with this book. Sera is a girl who just lost her mother and makes the decision to join the Cloaks-an organization that can shield her from the Daggers who are responsible for her family's ruin while she plans her revenge. She is continuously torn between what she needs to do to survive and belong among the Cloaks and what she thinks is right. Ransom is the Dagger assigned to kill her, and while he is a competent Dagger, he is also questioning why he's doing all this and what it means for his life and his soul. He's someone who is terribly tired and alone and feels defeated, to be honest. Even in scenes with his friends, he always seemed to be alone to me. I really felt for him. One decision made at his lowest, weakest point, and it has had catastrophic consequences for his life. Until Sera comes, and he sees a way out--and a love interest to boot! haha

cw: abusive fathers, though.

I really liked both main characters and their romance. It felt like they came together by a fateful serendipity in a brutal, corrupted city.

The worldbuilding was interesting. I had high hopes and nerves because while it did sound intriguing, I hadn't enjoyed These Violent Delights. I am so relieved that I fell into this story and didn't want to get out. It was such an addicting read! It was fast-paced, suspenseful, romantic, and it had both a crime fantasy vibe and a sort of historical myth vibe as they investigated into the past about how the city came to become the way it is.

Plot wise, okay, it wasn't the most unpredictable read ever. BUT I devoured this book!! I was COMPELLED to read more. And to be frank, I had a great time reading it. At the end of the day, that's all that counts.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an enemies-to-lovers romance, a crime and fantasy city whose magical elements are lost in history *for now*, and a great fast-paced fantasy read.

It is the monthly pick for a September YA box, and I recommend to renew! It also has 2 different Waterstones exclusive editions with incredible edge design!

This is a great first installment to the series!

In Fantome, there are two controllers of shade magic- a scarce and deadly resource -the cloaks and the daggers, the thieves and assassins. Two sworn enemies. But monsters roam the streets of fantome bringing darkness no one could have imagined.

My thoughts: this book was over all well thought out and I had a fun time reading. I found the magic system to be fresh and exciting. The enemies to lovers kept a nice touch of romance throughout the book-which I loved. I definitely will be reading the next installment!
I only really found two things to amiss.
First: the pacing. I just couldn’t understand how we would go from one insane chapter to the next dragging to the point where I felt bored and underwhelmed.
Second: the imagery. I found myself constantly wondering what the characters were looking at or the space around them. The building of the visual representation was just a bit murky. And it made me feel like a bystander in the story, keeping me from fully engrossing myself with the story.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for a chance at reading this book prior to it’s publication.

This book was great! It reminded me of Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare and probably should’ve been NA/A instead of YA but I had such a blast reading it. Phantome was the place to be - and I felt like I was there! The chemistry and sexual tension between the FMC and MMC was ELECTRIC and such a powering force. The writing style was brilliant and I can’t wait for the sequel!

Stunning. Absolutely a page-turner. Incredible world-building that had depth and lore, but nothing that would overwhelm or confuse a reader. Extremely dynamic characters that you instantly either root for or fall in love with. Superb writing by Doyle.

If I was forced to give critiques there would just be two - even though this book is characterized as a teen romance, I found the flirting dialogue between the FMC and the love interest(s) to be too juvenile, borderline cringey. They sounded more like 10-year olds instead of older teenagers closer to twenty. And last, the FMC herself is naturally considered a "spitfire", but that was not the first impression that was portrayed in the book. It's not until several chapters in that we see those first glimpses, and from a reader's perspective it felt a little confusing and there could've been a smoother transition.

Other than that, absolutely excellent read! Thank you Netgalley for the digital ARC!

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙄’𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚 m𝙮 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩“
🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️🔥🗡️

It’s been a long time since I read a romantasy with REAL enemies to lovers. I’m talking about he was legit sent to unalive her and she hates him because he’s part of a group of people who unalived her mother. But there’s also a mix of forbidden romance up there too…

I had the most joy with this. I was literally giggling blushing and kicking my feet. Aside from the romance being absolutely toe curling, the plot itself will absolutely have you hooked and it’s probably what I enjoyed most of all. The family drama was insane and the entire time I was like “ohhh TEAAAAAA”.

There’s so much to unpack in this book and it’s clear there will be more coming. I absolutely adored it and can’t wait to see what’s next. I also love how we have main characters that are not insufferable. I can always trust this author to serve.

I also can’t wait for you guys to meet Theo who recently became the love of my life. Yes he’s a side character I just always weaken for them. If he dies I will die too.

Release: September- make sure to add to ur tbr!

I was very excited about this book after Catherine Doyle's Twin Crown series! I will admit that I was hesitant after finding out this was a "solo" action from her part, but I was NOT disappointed!

This is a fun adventure for everyone! Main characters are entertaining and keep you rooting for them at the end. Supporting characters were also surprisingly entertaining.

I have not read other books by Doyle, but I am planning to explore more of her works for my younger students in class!

The Dagger and the flame will have you hooked from the very first line. I could not put this book down. I loved the enemies to lovers almost Romeo and Juliet in a twisted way. Sera is running from the darkness of the daggers that chase her and have taken everything from her finding refuge with the cloaks. She is strong yet vulnerable and Ransom has thrived in the darkness the daggers have been his refuge or have they? Is this all he wants in life or will a little flame spark something in him? He is broken yet a pillar and so much more then you can imagine. I couldn't get enough of these two. But I'll admit Pippin was my favorite. I loved the mystery, the action the romance this book has everything you could want. I would recommend the NA audience it does get a tiny bit spicy not overly spicy but a touch. I cannot wait for the next book I am so stoked to have found a series that has put a little spark in myself.

DAGGER is one of those rare books that got better the deeper I delved into it - a very welcome surprise! After the first 40% or so, I was ready to assign it 3 stars. After two-thirds, 3.5. And by the end, 4. I confess I struggled with the set-up. The minute Sera's mom Sylvie poisons/experiments on a stray cat at the top of the book, I decided Sylvie was the absolute worst. It was tough to care about Sera's quest to avenge her mother bc, frankly, she could rot in hell for all I cared. I also struggled with Ransom as a love interest. Despite his tragic backstory, the dude straight up murders people for money. Without remorse. Doyle works valiantly to gradually paint him in a more sympathetic light - starting with his very own "save the cat - er - dog" moment. But when he inevitably transitions from enemy to lover, it didn't quite feel earned to me. (Still, I admit I warmed up to him considerably.) All of this aside, the action-packed cliffhanger ending more than convinced me to continue with the series.

3.5 stars, rounded up

It's so hard to find a true enemies to lovers romance, and The Dagger and the Flame actually captures that! Absolutely loved the banter and chemistry between Sera and Ransom, but wished their romance hadn't felt as insta-lovey as it did, but oh whale. I also really enjoyed the rivalry between then Cloaks and Daggers, and thought the world building and magic system was great as well.

Overall really solid!

I thought this was a fun & entertaining read! It felt like true enemies to lover and I really enjoyed learning about the magic system. I thought the pacing was a little slow but it makes sense for the start of a series plus I actually really enjoyed the introduction to the characters. I loved that there was a little bit of mystery thrown into the mix! I would say I did not love the romance aspect in the book. There were times I enjoyed it but something was lacking. I love me some tension and build up. Which it seems like the author was going for that but maybe the delivery was not great. It almost felt like not a lot was happening and then all of a sudden BOOM!

Overall, I love the concept of this book and I am excited to see where the author takes this story!

Thank you Simon Teen & NetGalley for the early copy!