🎶 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦.
𝘍𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦. 🎶

This fast paced debut came in HOT, serious as a heart attack. And I mean that literally. My blood pressure has never been higher. 😳
I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, all the things… the entire time.

🎶 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦.
𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. 🎶

🐦‍🔥𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘅 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴
🔥𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆
🐦‍🔥𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀
🔥𝗙𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
🐦‍🔥𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲
🔥𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆
🐦‍🔥𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱
🔥𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
🐦‍🔥𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀
🔥𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘆 𝘅 𝘀𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲
🐦‍🔥 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 {𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺}
🔥 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸

🎶 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 🎶

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮. 😮‍💨

Y’all aren’t ready for Warren Coupers aka Coup.
The banter is top notch. It builds at a pace that makes sense, and the tension is 🔥 There are a few steamy moments, that had me blushing in the way only a YA novel can. Toeing the line, without going too far.

🎶 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳. 🎶

Apparently I’m in to racing. Who knew? Definitely not me. 🤷🏼‍♀️ The racing was done SO well. Every race had different obstacles, themes, and action.
{𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗿𝗶-𝘄𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀… 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘅 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁.}

🎶 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 🎶

The chapters are perfectly short, action packed, and ending in such a way you’ll be saying just one more chapter until the very end. This was such a fun read, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

🎶 𝘈𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘺. 🎶

But also. Mikayla. I have a bone to pick.

𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘’𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗨𝗘.

I’m going to melt away into a puddle of water crying, while I listen to the official soundtrack, while I wait impatiently for the rest. I need book 2 immediately. 😭🙏🏼
#𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨
I kid, I kid.
But hang on for dear life kids.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗽.
🧗🏻‍♀️

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Of Flame and Fury
by Mikayla Bridge
Fantasy YA
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: July 15, 2025
Macmillan Children's...
Ages: 14+


Kel and her team are the Crimson Howlers, who participates in the dangerous sport of Phoenix racing, but after an accident, they are now looking for a new rider, and Warren Coup is the only one willing to join the team. Kel does not like the arrogant boy, but if she wants to keep her phoenix, either she has to be the one who races or give in.

Much to her disappointment, Kel's phoenix accepts Warren, and the race goes great, and they are offered a sponsorship from a tech CEO, but she declines, not trusting their motives. Then there's a fire caused by old wiring, destroying her phoenix's aviary, so she accepts the offer, taking her phoenix and her team into the company's complex that specializes in tech and phoenix breeding.


I like the idea of racing a phoenix, though there are some obstacles to riding a fiery bird, but the author does a good job getting around them.

The story is missing some history of the world/people/places, and the phoenixes... There are other creatures mentioned, but there are missing pieces of how/why this world came to be. Also, there's a 'fairy tale' mentioned in this story that... spoiler... but where did it come from?

While falling into the typical good/bad, rich/poor trope, this is still a cute little story similar to others in this same genre/trope, but thankfully, this is innocent, almost cozy. There is a little violence and romance, but there is nothing 'adult' in these pages! The writing is 'simple' so it'll be easy for younger readers to understand, thus making this suitable for readers fourteen and older, though I could see younger, advanced readers liking this story.

I read the ARC and it is missing the epilogue... Imagine my irritation when I saw 'Epilogue' TK... To Come... Really!!! So why this could be the first book in a series, that epilogue could have confirmed or denied it, I don't know... What I do know is that I won't go out and buy the book just to read it. But I hope the epilogue ended the book because I don't think this would make a good series with these characters. New ones, maybe.

3 Stars

This was such an interesting and fun debut fantasy novel. This was basically a racing novel with phoenixes instead of cars. The characters were likable and the story fast paced. I received an ARC early copy from Negalley to review and unfortunately the epilogue was not included so I am guessing that makes the cliffhanger ending even worse! I am very interested to see where this series is going. This is also an upcoming Owlcrate YA book!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this advance reader copy.

Definitely different. Really enjoyed her writing. Easily relatable and something I wasn't really anticipating. Everything it was compared to I've already read. Hopefully there will be more!

3.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Of Flame and Fury on July 15, 2025.

Phoenix racing a la F1 and Mario Kart? Evil corporations and suspicious "conservation" behavior? A group of "cultists" who are trying to preserve the land and its magic but are vilified by the media? This book had so many fascinating concepts that, in some cases, were executed exceptionally well. However, the parts that fell flat for me fell REALLY flat.

If I had been in a different reading mood, the lack of character development and personality would have bugged me more. As it was, I was entertained enough by the races and various plot twists to coast on those vibes through the interpersonal scenes between our caricature characters. Our FMC, Kel, had the personality of a saltine, and our bad boy phoenix racer Coup had as much depth as a kiddie pool. The chemistry between them was non-existent, and the strongest connection I saw between any character was from Kel and her phoenix, Savita.

Again, the races?? Totally badass. The plot twist toward the end? BLEW my mind. But the "romance" we waded through in the middle was just meh for me. Others might find the characters more compelling, but I found them bland.

One other note -- this is a standalone book, and the epilogue was NOT included in the advanced copy. We are left on the cliffiest of cliffhangers in the last chapter, and I REALLY hope the publishers and author pull out an exceptional epilogue to appropriately tie up all the loose ends in the story.

All that is to say, pick up this book if you're intrigued by the premise, and hopefully, you find more depth in the characters than I did.

I went into Of Flame and Fury completely blind, like I picked it up because the premise sounds good (Fourth Wing meets Iron Widow) and the cover design is super pretty. However, the design and marketing isn't accurate in the slightest - I had no clue this book featured racing phoenixes but I loved that element so much! This book definitely had some serious high points: Mario Kart but deadly, the phoenixes in general, and the absolutely shocking twist towards the conclusion of the book. I found the characters, including our FMC whose POV is the focus, all background with almost a complete lack of personality. I wasn't invested in about ~80-85% of the book but when the final big twist was revealed, they finally got me on board. Unfortunately, the epilogue isn't provided in the early copy I received, so I have no idea how this truly ends since the last chapter concludes on a complete cliff hanger with no closure or even bread crumbs to what could possible happen in the epilogue. Do I think the rest of the book was a slog? Yes, and I don't necessarily think the twist or ending is/will be worth pushing through things but I will be finding out about the epilogue once this publishes.

Thank you to Fierce Reads, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

This is a debut novel that is sure to become a Tik Tok sensation ! High stakes action and plenty of adventure all with the added bonus of Pheonixes. Kel is a character that your heart will break for and be built back for as you travel through the story. There is so much packed within these pages that it is just a read that must happen.

Thank you for the ARC! Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. The FMC was really difficult to empathize with. She was so irritable, and I didn't feel her connection to any of the characters except Savita. I think the idea is really interesting, but I don't think it's wise to compare a YA book to the very spicy, adult "Fourth Wing." I also don't think the death of Oska at the top was that emotionally impactful since Kel barely knew her. I think if this had been a good friend, it would have hit harder. Thank you again for the ARC!

Overall, I wasn’t hooked until 20% of the way through. However, I’m glad that I didn’t DNF this book, because around 75-80% of the book, it got wilder than uncollared phoenixes!! The ending was super poetic, but I definitely needed an epilogue or maybe more verses of The Gilded Lullaby to give me closure. Is there a sequel?! I’m sweating more than Coup during a race over here.

Phoenix racing 🐦‍🔥
Found family 🖤
Fake relationships 🔒
Action packed 🔥
Magic ✨

Mikayla Bridge's debut novel, Of Flame and Fury, transports readers to an island forged from ash and veiled in fire, where phoenix racing reigns supreme-a perilous yet lucrative sport.
Seventeen-year-old Kel Varra leads the Crimson Howlers, an underdog team striving to clinch victory in the annual races.
Faced with the loss of their rider, Kel reluctantly partners with Warren "Coup" Coupers, an infuriating rival who occupies her thoughts more than she'd like to admit. As the stakes escalate both on and off the track, Kel becomes entangled in a shadowy conspiracy that threatens her team, her cherished phoenix Savita, and her burgeoning feelings for Coup. The narrative weaves together elements of high-octane racing, simmering romance, political intrigue, and volatile magic, building up to a climactic showdown that could spell doom for all involved

Thank you NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review ♥️

I was so excited to read this book as an ARC.

I really enjoyed it and I was drawn to Kelyn, Coup, and Savita. The phoenix races were action packed and hooked me right in! I got some Hunger Games vibes from parts of the book. This is a good age appropriate YA book in my opinion.

I'm unclear if this is a standalone or the start of a series.
If it's a standalone I think I need a little more from the world, characters, friendships, and relationships. There were some twists I think we needed more hints at leading up to them for them to be believable.

If this is the beginning of a series then I think having a more vague first book is great. It got me hooked and then sets me up for even more next book!

I really enjoyed this! The writing was engaging, the story was fast paced, and the romance was believable and sweet. I couldn’t put it down.

Phoenix racing is such a unique and interesting premise. The set up here is excellent. The team is comprised of a tamer (the animal expert), winger (the track strategist), rider (self explanatory), mitigator (the publicist), and tech support. Kel is a tamer with a special bond with her phoenix Savita. She and her winger Dira end up begrudgingly teaming up with Warren “Coup” Couper, a reckless but talented rider, and his brother Bekn. They catch the eye of Cristo Industries as a sponsor and the new team moves to the company’s compound to train and race. Not shockingly, things are more complicated than at first glance and the team becomes involved in discovering company secrets.

I wished the world building was a bit more developed but maybe that will come in future books. There are mentions of other mythical creatures, other locations with strong political and religious presences, a mysterious illness that takes the lives of many loved ones, and an underground rebellion group.

I might have enjoyed the book more if it were a little less fast paced and had some more room to breathe. These characters are great and I wanted to spend more time with them as they solidified their team. I loved the romance between the two main characters and wanted more.

This is not enemies to lovers, more rivals/antagonists to lovers. And just to be clear, this book is solidly YA. Do not expect any steamy open door romance scenes.

Overall, I loved the characters and their found family, I loved the romance, and I’m hopeful that there will be more world building and story to come.

4⭐️

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own*

I just finished this book, which I received through NetGalley, and it was such a compelling and unique read! As a huge fan of Fourth Wing, I was instantly hooked by the intense suspense and adrenaline-pumping moments in Of Flame and Fury. But this isn’t just another dragon-rider story—here, we have phoenixes and the fearless riders who bond with them.

Kel, the main character, is a tamer partnered with her phoenix, Savita, and together they’re part of a competitive racing game. Their team is called the Howlers, and the dynamic between these riders is intense and thrilling. I loved how much depth this book had—the world-building was so layered, and there were so many puzzle pieces to connect as the story unfolded.

One of the highlights for me was the relationship between Kel and her phoenix, Savita. Their bond was fierce and beautifully written. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Kel and Coup—it’s that classic love-hate tension that keeps you guessing, and while it doesn’t wrap up perfectly in this book, it’s clear there’s more to come.

The stakes in this story are so high. There’s a corporation hunting down phoenixes to find a cure for a deadly disease, but in order to get that cure, they’d have to kill these magnificent creatures. Kel’s determination to fight for Savita’s life kept me on the edge of my seat.

This book was fast-paced, immersive, and kept me turning the pages well into the night. It does leave a few things unanswered, but in the best way—because I’m already excited for the next installment. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Kel and her world!

I read a lot of romantasy, so I really enjoyed that Bridge had a unique approach to her world building. Orphaned after the death of her father, Kel is a phoenix tamer, working with a team to race her phoenix, Savita. But when she has to join forces with her rival, handsome ride Warren Couper, as well as tech company Cristo Industries, Kel learns about the greater forces places phoenixes in danger.

Marketing for this book have compared phoenix races to Formula One, but I admit, having read the book, I really saw it a lot more like the pod racing from Star Wars (I am both a nerd, and there's a high casualty rate). Basing the book around a racing industry allows the author to make some pointed environmental critiques, while adding to a feeling of team building and found family as our band of misfits come together to try to win the races.

I admit that almost every character in fiction who is tech mogul adjacent has probably suffered from what is happening in the real world ("is he going to spout on about waste, fraud and abuse in phoenix racing?", but the world building Bridge does is subtle enough that even if she doesn't expressly fill in the blanks in the relationship between the impoverished cities, the natural wildlife home of the phoenixes and the spiffy tech compounds (as well as hints that there is attempted migration from other areas struggling with natural disasters).

This is very much a book of the moment, and I think it's a great mix of romance, action and environmental themes. Recommend for fans of The Cruel Prince or An Ember in the Ashes. Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the early copy.

Thank you, thank you to Net, the publisher and the powers that be for the huge opportunity to get a first read of this amazing book.

I can not say enough good things about this one!

It is a must read! Put it at the top of your to be read lust now!!

I highly, highly recommend!

Five stars!

This book was different from what I usually read! I have never encountered a book about Phoenix racing so it was intriguing.

In dire need of a new Phoenix rider, Kelyn- the Crimson Howlers leader and phoenix tamer- is forced to take on her rival, Coup, as the team rider. After going viral for containing a wild dangerous phoenix, Kel and Coup are recruited by Cristo Industries to be their sponsored phoenix racing team. They thought some simple fake dating and a few easy race wins would score them money to change their lives, but they never expected dangerous race tracks and a conspiracy to cross their paths.

If you’re looking for a book that is heavier on character relationships with a background Phoenix racing subplot- this isn’t the book for you. It is VERY heavy on the Phoenix racing. Lots of races with lots of descriptions of the races, with just a little bit of character interactions outside of the races. That was one aspect I didn’t quite enjoy about the book. I understand it’s about Phoenix racing, but chapter long races weren’t keeping my attention. I did enjoy the book as it is very well written- and I LOVED the big twist- but I think sports/racing books just aren’t for me! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan publishing for the gifted eARC!

I loved this story and the way the beginning catches your attention! I was invested from the beginning to the end. The vibe was definitely F1, I’m usually not into that sport but after reading this, I have an urge to get started. The concept of phoenix racing is so unique. Coup and Kel had me sobbing, they were so cute even with the dislike they had for each other. The plot twist shocked me so much that I was also second guessing everything. I knew I should have paid more attention to a specific topic, but I still chose to ignore it and now I will be rereading. I had so many “I KNEW IT” moments which made the book more fun for me. The epilogue wasn’t included yet but I have hope that it will do justice to this story, especially because it will really seal the deal on whether this book will end up getting 5 stars from me.

I didn’t see the Fourth Wing or Enemies to Lovers part of this book but that’s ok it didn’t need it.

Thank you to the author, Macmillan Children’s, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Rating: 5/5 stars

*Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date: July 15 2025

Wow. This was incredible. I didn't realize how much I could come to care about phoenixes. I'm petrified of birds, but I'd do anything to protect the ones in this book. Following a phoenix-tamer named Kel and her racing team, schemes and deception make Kel's efforts to keep herself, her team, her family, and (most importantly) her phoenix, Savita, safe.

This was such a great story; I was hesitant going in because I wasn't sure if the racing aspect would overtake the story, but it didn't! Of course, it is a focal aspect, but the way it was executed still left plenty of room for world-building, character development, relationships, and everything else!

The descriptions in this book are phenomenal - Bridge has a great handle of language/writing in that area. I truly could picture the flames, the feathers, the setting[s]. The characters were also very well developed, and I loved learning about them. The build-up of the romance had a perfect pacing, in my opinion, and I loved the supporting characters' relationships, as well! Of course, the queer rep was a great addition! Touching back on pacing, I appreciated the quicker pace! I always wanted to keep reading (ESPECIALLY as the book neared the end). I also really enjoyed the 'lullabies' at the start of each section/part.

I would say that, while there is great world-building, there was a bit of confusion for me regarding the 'continent' versus Salta and its islands. I also felt a bit lost at times trying to remember which islands held which 'gods'/creatures; they were mentioned throughout the story, but it was a bit too spread out for me to remember until I was pretty far into the book. Perhaps that would be a good reference to include at the beginning alongside the descriptions of different phoenixes. I also would have generally just loved/enjoyed more details about the other islands and their creatures/magic!

I would also say that, while the plot is definitely intriguing and I always wanted to keep reading to find out how things were going to unfold, multiple aspects were pretty predictable. For me, though, it didn't take away from the story or make me want to stop reading. There were some unpredictable events/reveals at the end!

Overall, a masterpiece of a debut novel and one of my favorite reads of this year, so far! I'd highly recommend it and will definitely be seeking it out when it is published to read the epilogue!

Mikayla Bridge weaves a fascinating premise in this sweeping, soot filled gorgeous tale about phoenix racing. A departure from the usual dragon flight and fight norms, this story breathes fresh perspective into the duology of domestic versus wildness in the magical creatures that are phoenixes.

Kelyn Varra, tamer extraordinaire, and her best friend Dira, the strategist, are the last 2 standing in the Howlers team and forced to team up with the arrogant Warren "Coup" Coupers and his brother Bekn to race Kel's prized pet, Savita. When her farm burns down, both Kel and Coup are forced to accept the sponsorship of a eccentric billionaire, Cristo Canen, who seems to be an erudite scholar studying the conservationship of the wild creatures and their magical ties to the land. Add in The Fume, a cult like organization which worships the phoenixes and despises their racing, myths on the legendary bonds between man and phoenix, and you have a brilliant crossover with vibes of mystery, fantasy and myth overlapping in equal measure!

The story built up gradually and the plot twist in the end, did throw me for a loop (well done!!!). The Kel-Coup inferno of a love story has all the feels and Kel's reliance on Savita as well as her anchor in Dira are beautifully etched in this found family tableau. This gorgeous tale is a refreshing pause from the other dragonlore tales, and enjoy the bonding!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC!

I loved this story and the way the beginning catches your attention! I was invested from the beginning to the end. The vibe was definitely F1, I’m usually not into that sport but after reading this, I have an urge to get started. The concept of phoenix racing is so unique. Coup and Kel had me sobbing, they were so cute even with the dislike they had for each other. The plot twist shocked me so much that I was also second guessing everything. I knew I should have paid more attention to a specific topic, but I still chose to ignore it and now I will be rereading. I had so many “I KNEW IT” moments which made the book more fun for me. The epilogue wasn’t included yet but I have hope that it will do justice to this story, especially because it will really seal the deal on whether this book will end up getting 5 stars from me.

I didn’t see the Fourth Wing or Enemies to Lovers part of this book but that’s ok it didn’t need it.

Thank you to the author, Macmillan Children’s, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.