This was so fun! I love a book that's easy-reading, but also has so much going on without it being overwhelming for the reader.

And Laila has such a fantastic voice.

I am living for this wave of strong, young, black female characters. Laila is no exception to that. She isa smart, strong, and quite frankly a force to be reckoned with. I also love a good telling of different theological stories. I feel like I learn in more ways than one reading books like this. There are a few darker scenarios in this book revolving around death and planning assault, but don't let that stop you!

Laila and Karan were not supposed to meet. Both being descendant of different gods, their encounter triggers a profesy no one is ready for.

I am all in for a book with a bad*ss main character with quite a lot of female rage, which made me love Laila from the first page. Karan seems to have a gentle soul from the beginning, but he is maybe too trusting.

Although I quite liked this book, I had to remember myself they are "kids" and they take stupid irracional decisions some times, which made me disconnect at some points of the book, some of these actions seem to be there just for the sake of things happening even. I would have also liked to see more of Laila and Karan interaction and some more of them in a general sense; it looked like we only see scenes focused on the main theme of the book, there is no secondary communications, or if there are, they are too brief.

Mythology may be the strongest point of the book, I love reading books with religions I am not familiar with. It feels like a new world being discovered.

Finally, I want to thank Nisha Sharma, Union Square & Co, and Netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review. I am super intrigued to see what Nisha Sharma will come up with next.

This book was really good! It was incredibly fast paced, I loved the plot, I loved the character development and I loved the visual imagery the author gave! This book was definitely worth reading, and I’m incredibly grateful I did! Honestly 10/10 would recommend

Every morning Laila Bansal wakes up before dawnhours before her job at the family winery—and trains in hand-to-hand combat with her adopted aunts who, when not tending to their thriving vineyard, are immortal demons sworn to protect Laila’s mythological bloodline. just taht synopsis alone had me intrigued to pick this book up

Really enjoyed the book. Very different to what is available on the romantasy market at present. I loved that is based on Hindu mythology and found that really interesting. It was a little slow at first but once it got going I struggled to put it down! I can’t wait to see how the story progresses.

Rated: 4.5/5

✨ Key Themes
*characters: Descendants of Draupadi's (Mahabharata) legendary figures.
°Hindu Mythology Meets Modernity twist
°A Strong Baddy Female Protagonist
°Slow-burn romance *coughing forbidden*
°Action-Packed Adventure
°Demon possession
°Funny conversations

🔥 Plot Overview

The story follows Laila Bansal, a teenager living in upstate New York. Laila's mornings begin with hand-to-hand combat training under the guidance of her Rakshasi (demons) aunts devoted to protecting her.  Because Laila is not just any normal teenager, she is a descendant of Draupadi, a central figure from the Mahabharata, and her lineage is infused with magic and guarded secrets entrusted by Lord Krishna.

Laila's seemingly peaceful and hardworking life takes a dramatic turn when Karan, a mysterious new archer in town, attempts to kill her (the occasion was really not the time for such an attemp *not spoiling dw*), mistaking her for a demon.  Karan is a descendant of Karna and is on a mission to save his parents guided by his uughh stupid ass 'uncle'. But unknowingly he brings with him a surge of immortal and mortal beings poised to wreak havoc. Which causes Laila aunts to disappear. Now that Laila and Karan paths have intertwined, they must navigate their fated connection, uncover hidden truths, and confront dark forces threatening to destroy the world. 

I swear that this book is everything that I was looking for in a book. I love mythology themed books, I will read any mythology. The only issue was that I didn't really care about the side characters that died because I didn't really feel the connection between the FMC and them. They were mentioned briefly but any death is sad obviously. Besides that, this book is amazing and I highly recommend it.

The cover and the blurb drew me in but the story didn't let me go! I haven't read many books with Indian mythology so that was very interesting to me. The story was very fastpaced and I really liked the worldbuilding. Laila was very easy to like and I liked that she didn't just let Karan rescue her. I would have loved to see a lot more of the aunties. The lovestory is very sweet.
I really hope there will be a next book in this universe!

If you like YA reads with mythological aspects tied in this is an amazing read. Luckily for me, I love those sorts of stories. I know very little about Hindu gods, but it was so lovely to read a story involving them, and get a glimpse into that sort of world. It touches on darker topics while still being a good read for its age group.

This book grips you by the shoulders and doesn't let go! A brilliant YA novel that encompasses family, friendships, enemies, magic and mythology. Following dynamic characters such as Laila & Ahvi and their adventure from strangers to enemies to the only ones each other can trust. These characters are so involving and consuming, with personalities that jump out from the page to embed themselves into your thoughts. Going into this book I was initially attracted by the character art on the cover and the synopsis but otherwise had never really heard of it, the complexities of a modern world, with so called 'modern issues' intertwined with Hindu lore, demi-gods, magical creatures and demons was done so without difficulty and the ending was albeit slightly predictable, very well suited to the story and fitted in very well. The romance didn't take away from the other parts of the story and diminish other important plot points but enhanced them. It's lovely to see more novels with powerful young woman who have individual struggles and do find life difficult just as other young people but allowing her to overcome and be powerful in her own story really sold this book for me.

Illusions of Fire felt like a modern Buffy meets Charmed with a South Asian twist. It's such a fun ride of a story, I found myself being absolutely terrified at the monsters and deeply entertained by these characters.

Laila tiptoes a fine line between teenager and adulthood, part of her longing to be able to enjoy a regular college life with her friends and the other part is committed to her place in the world as a daughter of Draupadi, aka The Chosen One.

When Karan suddenly appears at her local archery club, bringing along terrifying monsters and mysterious appearing tattoos (and an adorable little cousin Boo) Laila has to decide if she wants to let Karan into her very secretive and now dangerous world.

I loved the introduction of Gopal to the story as a handsome mysterious biker guy with an accent, like ok sign me up lol

I can't wait for the follow up story to this because I'm dying to see what happens next for this group!!

4.5 stars!

Ooo you know what I love, it’s a predestined, fated love story. And yes, there is so much more to Nisha Sharma’s latest, Illusions of Fire, than just this fated love story, but also the fact that the romance is braided in so seamlessly with the magic, mythology, and coming of age-ness of it all made this one a special, and highly entertaining read.

The story follows Laila, a descendent of the mythological figure Draupadi, who absolutely cannot live a normal teenage existence. After losing her mother at a young age, she’s raised by four — later, three — demon aunts, and trained constantly for her own protection against forces out to get her and bring about the end of the world. Until she meets Karan, a descendant of Karna, sent to find and kill her on the assumption she too is a demon. What could possibly go wrong here?

I admit I was primarily familiar with Sharma’s writing through her adult romances, and that’s what prompted me to give this one a try, and I am so glad I did. Her gift for infusing tension in the smallest moments — even though this book does contain a lot to be tense about — is hard at work here, building up both a sense of danger, and some delicious chemistry between Laila and Karan. Individually, the pair of them are as competent as you’d want a hero to be, but together they complement each other well, proving why they’re a force to be reckoned with in both this book and future ones in the series.

Illusions of Fire is out on October 7. Special thank you to Union Square & Co for the advance copy for review purposes.

4.5/5 stars! Nisha is an amazing writer and I was excited to read this book. I mean; LOOK AT THIS COVER! Obsessed! The idea of this story reminded me a bit of Old Magic, which was a favorite YA fantasy book years ago. I really enjoyed this. Laila is an interesting and well-developed character and she truly wants to make things better. Ahvi is likable, although sometimes frustrating in his decisions. This is a great coming-of-age + magic warfare story.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book and I definitely feel that it’s a South Asian version of Percy Jackson!

The world building and plot were engaging and easy to follow, however, at certain points, the pacing felt rushed and difficult to fully absorb as a reader. Additionally, at times I found the story less engaging, as it seemed that events were occurring to the characters rather than the characters actively driving the storyline forward.

As for the characters, I enjoyed Laila’s character and how fierce she was. Her relationship with Karan felt rushed and I feel the tension was quick to go in the book. Laila was quick to forgive Karan’s actions and I would have loved to have had more of a confrontation.

I did enjoy this book overall and I recognise how important it is to finally have a book featuring South Asian mythology and folklore.

Thank you to NetGalley a Union Square & Co for proving me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book had so much potential!! Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. While I found the Indian mythology the book was based around to be intriguing, I think that the plot of the book dragged on a bit. I also felt like it was a bit over-descriptive overall, relying a lot on telling the reader exactly what was going on (with a lot of extra description) instead of “showing” the reader. I also thought that certain parts moved too quickly while others dragged on.

Fierce female protagonist, lore steeped in cultural history and mythos, alongside a budding romance that keeps you turning the page - all woven into a fun adventure. Definitely a great start for plenty of building on with sequels after this. Wonderful adventure that I was very happy to partake in!

2.5 stars. I desperately, *desperately* wanted to love this. Supernatural meets Hindu mythology? With enemies to lovers?? And a STUNNING cover??? I was READY. Unfortunately the execution fell very flat, and I will not be picking up the sequel. The romance was really rushed, the plot was moved forward by really convenient happenstance, and while the side characters were cute, I didn't really understand why they were there. I thought the concept of "descendants" who can trace their lineage back to the main players in the Mahabharata was really interesting, but it almost... didn't matter? I did really love that the main character was a descendant of Draupadi and she took no shit, but I wish there had been more exploration of Karna's legacy, especially because it's such a complicated one. That might also be because I know the myths, and maybe this wasn't meant for someone with a super extensive background in Hinduism... so I guess it would be a good introduction to Hindu mythology for someone who has never read it before.

Speaking of Hindu mythology details: maybe it was just the version I was taught, but I'm pretty sure Karna isn't the one to taunt Draupadi during the dice game? Which immediately made me question the supposed conflict/complexity of the MC and LI's relationship, but it could just be a version difference.

I had a blast reading this YA novel by Sharma. A fun blend of mythology with the badassness and energy of Buffy. So much fun!

Ok so I just finished this last night and I have to say I really enjoyed it! This is the first book I've read from Nisha Sharma and I like her writing style, so I'll definitely be reading more from her. I really liked the main female & male protagonists, Laila & Karan, and enjoyed both their POVs. I loved learning about Indian Mythology & Folklore! I felt engaged throughout the story; the pace was great, there was action, funny parts, and some romance. 🥰📚 #BookReview #Romance #IndianMythology #NishaSharma #Fiction #Books #Reading

This book kind of reminded me of Percy Jackson. It was fast paced, and had an amazing FMC.

I love books on mythology, and this was such a cool take on it. I believe the author does a great job of sharing South Asian culture and maybe even some Hindu mythology.

I love to learn about other cultures, and I’m obsessed with traditional literature. I am familiar with stories from my own culture, and it’s not often that you get such well written fantasy books tying those things in nowadays.

I hope she writes a sequel soon. I would say it left room for one.

I love a strong FMC, and I love romance. I also love that the romance aspect of the book did not overpower the plot and take away from the strength of the FMC.


Thank you for the ARC NetGalley!