Such a different vibe than anything I’ve read from Nisha Sharma! A good change but a lot of mythology and could be hard to follow for some.
A dual POV from both main characters, Karan and Laila. This book is advertised for fans of Buffy and Supernatural and it certainly fits that description! A slow burn romance as well added to this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Laila is the heir to a legacy of Daughters of Draupadi and trying to live a semi normal life, at least her version. Karan is the heir to a legacy of warriors. They are thrown together by meddling gods and their descendants. They need to work together in order to prevent the end of the world and start to discover the feelings they have for each other.
I loved this story. It is a great mix of romance and the Hindu mythology. I greatly enjoyed getting to hear about Hindu legends that I had not previously. And tying this into a modern day setting. I also greatly enjoyed the love story between Laila and Karan. Working to beat fate and find their happiness. I will say I think I threw up a little when we got to see the plan of Satyapal, good lord. Excited to see where the story goes and expanding on the world that was set up in this book

I really liked this book. I enjoyed the mix of history, religion and mythology with modern teens on a mission. It felt like the right amount of romance for a YA book. Leila was a strong, intelligent FMC who could hold her own and I can't wait to see how her story contuines.


I believe the copy I received was not final edition because there were some spelling and grammar issues that I'm sure will be fixed before publication.

This YA fantasy novel is the first in what I’m hoping-BEGGING-will be a series. Layla Bansal knows her destiny as a descendant of Draupadi…stay safe, have a daughter before she turns 25, help raise her to continue the lineage. Karan knows his destiny as a descendent of Karna…fight monsters and protect those who can’t protect themselves. But when Karan is sent to hunt Layla, he starts to question everything, even before their touch that brands them both with new tattoos they can’t read. Their destinies just might be a little different than they’d imagined.

This novel is incredible and I’m already on the edge of my seat for the sequel, which is super unfortunate since I read this book before its release. *insert sobbing here* The writing is witty and engaging. The pace is perfect. I couldn’t put it down! I was carrying my Kindle in my purse and reading in any spare second I had because Laila and Karan had me SAT, as the youths say. As a high school librarian, I will most definitely be adding this to my collection in the fall and I know that my Hindu students will love the representation and the plot. Everyone will love the plot! This book is a hit and I’m so glad I read it. Now, where’s book two? PLEASE I’M BEGGING

It was my first time reading Nisha Sharma and also my first deep dive into Indian mythology, which made this reading experience even more captivating.

Illusions of Dire follows Laila, a descendant of Draupadi, a daughter of fire. She's been raised in semi-seclusion, tasked with continuing a powerful bloodline, and protected by her masis—immortal demons sworn to guard her family. Her quiet life takes a turn when Karan, a mysterious and handsome boy with a destiny intertwined with hers, suddenly enters the picture. Their meeting sets off a chain of events that begins to unravel fate itself.

This is a beautifully original YA fantasy. The worldbuilding is rich, the feminist undertone is strong without feeling forced, and the main character is powerful and deeply empathetic. The entire story radiates compassion, and the relationships—especially between Laila and those around her—felt genuine and well-developed.

However, there were a few elements that disrupted the reading flow. Some formatting issues—like inconsistent dialogue markers or character name mix-ups—were a bit distracting. The pacing also felt uneven in a few sections. Additionally, because the story is deeply rooted in Indian mythology, I would have appreciated a little more context or explanation about cultural references—such as the significance of the dice game or the war. Even a glossary or short prologue might have helped enhance the experience for readers unfamiliar with the mythology.

That said, I still found this to be a refreshing and immersive read. It’s a great pick if you're looking to branch out from typical Western mythologies and explore something new. A heartfelt and empowering fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Nisha Sharma, and Union Square & Co. for the opportunity to read a free advance copy of Illusions of Fire, releasing October 7, 2025.

Illusions of Fire is a fresh and exciting YA romantasy that blends Hindu mythology, high-stakes action, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. Laila and Karan are two descendants of mythological bloodlines. They find themselves caught in a web of secrets, ancient powers, and growing feelings neither of them expected.

Told in dual POV, the story gives meaningful insight into both protagonists, allowing their personal struggles and emotional growth to shine. While some may not prefer switching perspectives, I found it enhanced the storytelling and made the characters feel more well-rounded.

The mythology in this book was a standout. It was refreshing to see Hindu legends and creatures at the forefront instead of the usual Greek, Roman, or Norse influences. The integration felt seamless and added unique depth to the fantasy world.

The romance develops quickly but remains grounded. Laila and Karan’s connection makes sense, they share tension, chemistry, and vulnerability without falling into overly dramatic tropes. I do wish the story leaned even more into the tension at times and was more slow-burn, but I really appreciated that the romance explored emotional intimacy without relying on explicit scenes. It was a refreshing change that didn’t take away from the story’s intensity or heart.

I’d highly recommend Illusions of Fire to readers looking for a culturally rich fantasy with emotional depth, a unique mythological foundation, and just the right mix of romance and adventure.I give the book 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨!

I absolutely adored this story. I am so happy that mythology from around the world is more accessible and being incorporated into stories. I loved the main character and her growth in this story. There was enough information about the mythology that this story is based on to provide context and it is incorporated into the story (so you don't have a huge information dump at the start). I enjoyed the growth of the characters and their relationships throughout the book. I can't wait for this story to continue. I also appreciate the romance that is appropriate for all age groups.

Thank you NetGalley and Union Square and Co for an ARC of Illusions of Fire by Nisha Sharma. Illusions of Fire is a great YA fantasy where the author was able to weave romance and Hindu mythology. The book is told by the two main characters point of view. We have Laila and Karan who were never supposed to meet, but after Karan attacks her, they start to fall in love. In the midst of all that they are being hunted by other mythological creatures and they have to stop the end of the world. There are some twists that cause problems in their relationship, and they also get some help from divine intervention as well as Karan's cousin Boo. It is written in such a way that it was very hard to put down and the author left the door open to a sequel.

DNF… for now.
I really struggled with this book. I kept picking it and putting down after 15mins. I made it 50% through. I think there’s more world building and mythology that needs to developed.

The cover art and the description caught my eye but the story fell flat for me. I love a slow burn, but without complete context to the lore,I felt lost.

Thank you NetGalley & Union Square & Co

I really love the infusion of south Asian mythology and lore into this demon and paranormal world. The romance is a slow slow burn but it is so worth it.

I received an e-arc copy of this book from Netgalley and the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I like this book and I had such a good time reading it. I will rate it 3.5 stars. I don’t think this book is meant to be taken seriously based on the writing style, which is totally okay; I’m down with that. We have two-ish POVs from Laila and Karan (I’m glad it’s in third person because I’m tired of first-person POV), and Laila is really funny; I like her a lot. Sometimes she’s cringe, but my humor is broken, so she made me laugh a lot. Most of the time, she’s also realistic, which is really cool of her.

Laila’s three demon aunts were also dope, as they reminded me of Sleeping Beauty’s fairies. I’m sad we didn’t see more of them. There’s also a random character who comes in for some infodumping, but he’s chill and weird; I like him.

I’m not familiar with the Mahabharata, except for my one-month study of Indian art history in university, so I’m not sure how accurate it is, as that myth really drives the book. I can say that it’s easy to follow, but there are too many info dumps in the story.

What I don’t like about this book is probably Karan, because he did almost nothing and made Laila’s life miserable (I’m sorry, I love my girl. She was literally just chillin’ before he came). It’s not his fault that his presence brought misfortune, and he wasn’t necessarily a bad person. I just want him to contribute more after the climax.

I like the romance concept, but I can’t stress it enough that the forbidden romance feels a bit forced. Like, I know you’re eighteen, but like 🙏😒 move on 🙏. I’m just glad this is not a love triangle.

Since the book is unserious, I didn’t feel attached to the side characters and when bad things happened to them… I just don’t care. Which I know the author didn’t intend to happen

The villain is really freaky. Like f*** him. That’s all.

Solid four stars! I love books that explore mythologies and I think the best compliment I can pay this book is that it made me want to go out and do a lot more reading and research. I really liked the two main characters and I found their romance compelling and believable.

First, I want to say Thank you to Union Square & Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I am not new to Nisha Sharma’s books and I have loved her romance books! Nisha Sharma diving into Fantasy definitely did not disappoint!!
This book has dual POV’s, Laila who is such a strong FMC who was raised to fight and save the world. Karan is a demon hunter trying to find his parents or something about what happened to them. This perfect Slow-Burn follows their journey as they both uncover secrets and mysteries between both of their ancestors.

Has a great story-line!! Slow-Burn, Enemies to Lovers, Dual POV and does have some action in it!!!

Would definitely recommend for anyone looking to dip their toe into some fantasy!

Illusions of Fire caught by attention but its mythology and beautiful cover. It had a ton of potential, some which it hits but the misses feel huge and affected the story in a lot of ways for me.

I really enjoyed Laila as a character, in so many ways her quips reminded me as Buffy when I was growing up. She makes mistakes, but she does her best. I also loved the mythology, it’s not one I know much about so I really liked that.

Now for the cons. The writing in the first few chapters is very clunky and awkward. Almost stilted in parts especially in the dialogue and I almost put in down early because of it. I’m glad I didn’t because the story was so interesting but had it not been an ARC, I might have in all honesty. Karan as a character I liked but his chapters sometimes didn’t bring anything to the table. At all. It was just a rehash of previous events.

I’m a bit torn on it. I liked it, but didn’t love it as a whole.

Thank you Netgalley and Union Square and Company for an advanced copy of this book!

Illusions of Fire delivers exactly what I was hoping for: a thrilling South Asian cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel that had me hooked from the first chapter. Sharma wastes no time diving into the action, creating an easy, engaging read that introduces readers to fascinating South Asian lore and mythology. I genuinely learned something new about gods and monsters I’d never encountered before.

The standout element is absolutely the strong female minority protagonist. It’s so refreshing and exciting to see this representation in urban fantasy. The character voices are distinct and compelling, and the enemies-to-lovers slow burn romance adds the perfect tension throughout the story. Sharma excels at foreshadowing and weaving plot details together in satisfying ways.

That said, the book isn’t without its flaws. Characters seemed to trust each other too quickly, which felt unrealistic given their circumstances. The much-anticipated guardians were disappointingly unhelpful when our protagonist needed them most. The unedited version I read had some distracting typos, including a jarring name mix-up during a crucial action scene that pulled me right out of the story. The romantic scenes felt a bit juvenile, though I understand the appeal of keeping content accessible to broader audiences.

Despite these issues, I’m genuinely excited for the next installment. The world-building and mythology are rich enough to keep me invested, and I’m eager to see where Sharma takes this series.

DNF, 65%

This is not the first Nisha Sharma book I’ve read, but I always love mythology and especially Hindu mythology. Being of South Asian heritage, I always love to see a unique spin on it. However, I’m not Hindu, so I do realise that approaching this from a mythological perspective rather than a living, breathing religion perspective is different. In this respect, my critique may differ than that of others. To me, I wished that a little bit more was being done with the mythology: I get that it’s hard to strike a balance between those who are familiar and want puritan interpretations vs those who want all the creative takes on it, but I felt that the potential was there for a little bit more.

Laila and Karan are fascinating characters, and their journey is gripping. Since I didn’t have the time to finish the book, I cannot necessarily comment on the plot progression etc but they are both characters that I want to know more about, and follow their journey through. I will be grabbing a copy post-release to finish up for sure!

𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿, 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝗳𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹.

This was a nice & refreshing book from Nisha Sharma. She's usually known for her romcoms but this is a really great addition to her published works!

Illusions of Fire is inspired by Hindu Mythology's greatest epic — the Mahabharat. The protagonists, Laila and Karan are respectfully the descendants of Draupadi and Karna, who also played major roles in the original epic.

As someone who is decently well versed with the tales of Ancient India and Hindu mythology, there were something that did hit me wrong but alas, this is a fictional work and not a retelling in entirety.

The protagonist are both deep rooted with secrets and mysteries that they are trying to solve. The setting is urban and quiet. The concepts of magic and demigods here comes from Hindu mythology and a subtle nod or refrence to their ancestors in this book.

Both Karan and Laila are facing dangerous legacies in a short time. They had good chemistry and went from enemies to lovers to enemies again to lovers again. This story has a lot of angst and suspense with hilarity and emotional arcs that make everything worth it!

I was thrilled to receive an ARC and huge thanks to the author for the opportunity to dive into this incredible story! The chemistry between Karan and Lalia was absolutely captivating, and the plot had everything I enjoy in a great read to me most was the bold choice to explore romance without the typical explicit scenes it was a refreshing twist I haven't encountered often, and it didn’t take away from the emotional depth or intensity of the story. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves action paired with a strong, well-developed plot. I enjoyed it so much that I’ll definitely be adding the physical copy to my shelf once it’s released.

This was a great young adult fantasy story. There is a few unlivings. And have having to battle with demons . I enjoyed it.

This book is so immaculate, I wish I discovered this before and I would have talked more about it to my friends. Because the theme of the book is so interesting. About Hindu gods? It awaken the geek mythology in me. And the tension between Leila and Karan, you just can feel it. Would reread again!