Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for an ARC of this unique, fiery story that is out July 8. Flame and Fury is Mikayla Bridge’s debut novel and the first in the series. We are introduced to phoenix racing and it’s non stop from the beginning! If you love strong female characters, enemies to lovers, and intense races, this is the book for you

Kel has a phoenix but she needs a rider in order to participate in the wildly dangerous phoenix races. Enter Coup, the reckless but talented riddler that Kel cannot stand!

This book was everything I want in a fantasy, with good world building and brilliant characters. I loved every page, and once I'd finished I immediately bought the beautiful first edition because I just had to own a copy!

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy for review

What a ride! Every competition had me on the edge of my seat. This is well written and easy to follow along. I love Kel Varra. Her determination is amazing! Coup is something else. The whole enemies/rivals to lovers trope was nicely done. The tension was tangible.

This book has a lot of fun things going for it. The phoenix racing was such an interesting concept and the world around it was fascinating. I enjoyed following Kel and her team as they went through the plot.
However, I will say it felt a bit slow in parts which made me feel like I needed to push through.
But overall, I would say it was a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for letting me read this early!

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc of Of Flame and Fury

4⭐️/5

I really enjoyed this story of Kel and her phoenix Savita. It was refreshing to read about about a different magic system and world. This is the first story about phoenix that I've read and I was surprised by how much I liked it. The pacing of the book could've been better but it wasn't enough to keep me from wanting to continue reading. I just wish the ending hadn't been so rushed and that the epilogue had been included. I would've liked more explanation and developments in the ending. The love story between the two main characters also could've been a bit better developed but was still enjoyable. I hope there's a second book in the series so we can see what happens with all the characters and the fallout of the events at the end of the book. Overall it was a really good YA fantasy book.

I need a moment to emotionally recover from that book... 😢 I NEED the epilogue once the book officially comes out on July 15, 2025—I’m begging!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Mikayla Bridge, and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)/Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Kelyn “Kel”, an experienced phoenix tamer who works alongside her sassy and lovable phoenix, Savita “Sav.” Kel has a deep love for phoenixes and is fiercely protective of them. Her best friend and sidekick, Dira, is her partner on their racing team, the Crimson Howlers. After a series of unfortunate events and some unexpected publicity during their most recent race, they’re forced to team up with Warren “Coup” Coupers and his brother Bekn, who have bounced between teams due to Coup’s unpredictable behavior. Now, they’re seeking a new team and come up with a proposal that brings their worlds crashing together.

Their new partnership lands them under the sponsorship of Cristo Industries, run by the powerful and influential Canen Cristo, who takes a particular interest in Sav. Canen offers to sponsor the Howlers if they agree to relocate to his facilities and work under his terms—which quickly throws them into a whirlwind of rising tension, secrets, and suspicion.

Things I LOVED about this book and think others will too:

Grumpy x Sunshine

Found family

Debut novel (!!)

Romantasy with a YA vibe

Twists and turns

Phoenixes (YES please)

A Hunger Games x Fourth Wing energy

Enemies to lovers

Political corruption and secrecy 👀

Some parts of the book were a little slow and repetitive for me, but overall I really enjoyed it. The cover is absolutely STUNNING, and this definitely leans more YA than the blurb initially suggests—which I actually loved once I adjusted expectations.

Let me tell you—I gasped when all the dots connected for Kel (you’ll know exactly the moment when you get there 😭). I was shocked and heartbroken so many times. Sav is the sassiest phoenix, and I absolutely adore her character. The bond between Kel and Dira was so heartwarming, and watching them build a found family with Coup and Bekn was one of the most rewarding parts of the story. I loved how much they leaned on one another and grew together—it added so much depth and heart to the story.

This was such a strong and emotional debut, and I’m already desperate for more from this world!

Phoenix racing, magical creatures, mysterious tech mogul, grumpy/sunshine romance.. what more could we ask for?
This book centers around Kel and her phoenix Sav. She and her team race to earn money they all desperately need and find themselves in need of a new rider. They decide to take on Coup - a rider who seems to have no limits and will do whatever it takes to win, even if it could kill him. And when Kel's home burns down they feel their only option is to take a position with the mysterious tech mogul who wants to sponsor their team but seems to have a weird obsession with Sav.
The races are intense, the romance is steamy (the tension is - this is YA after all), the twist at the end I did not see coming.
I loved it! Did not know what to expect from this one but so glad I was chosen to read this ARC! I am desperate for the Epilogue though as the ARC only had a note that it was to come..
This comes out in July 2025 and I can't wait for a copy!


Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for an eARC of this book in exchange for honest review!

Kel, the phoenix tamer, Savita, her phoenix and the rest of their team, the Crimson Howlers race Savita in intense and deadly phoenix races in the hopes of making enough money to keep their lives from falling apart. After a tragic loss, Kel and her best friend and teammate Dira must make an unlikely alliance with the Coupers brothers. Warren ‘Coup’ is Kel’s longtime enemy because of his recklessness as a rider but when he becomes Savita’s new rider she is forced to work together with him to keep their team, and her farm, going.

The style is light and enjoyable; the second half of the book felt quick and much faster paced. I was able to predict some moments, but there was enough surprise to keep me intrigued.

🔥 Phoenix Racing
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Found Family
🔥 Secrets
🔥 Rich World-Building

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
4.5/5
“If you could escape up here— just keep flying … would you?” Coup asked softly, breaking her reverie. Her eyebrows arched. “That’s a very existential departure from whining.”
When I started to read this book, I instantly got the same feeling of reading another book that had a similar plot but with dragons, and I was sucked in. I love when fantasy is merged with reality but it is a balance that isn’t trying to “fight for attention”. The introduction of the different types of phoenixes, at first had me a little worried, but I was thankful for the descriptions what made it easier to go into Cender without it being too confusing. Kel was an amazing protagonist, I loved her character and her relationship with Coup. My only critic with the book is that I felt like there were some areas that weren’t explored as much as I had hoped, so it caused me to be confused. I also wish there would have been more in depth world building, it was a truly unique setting that had me wanting more.

This book really sucks you in quickly. The descriptions of the phoenixes are so vivid and colorful, the racing full of danger and excitement. The world is described in beautiful descriptions, and the characters are endearing. The found family aspect in this book is utter perfection, and the animosity between Kel and Coup is highly entertaining, especially when thrown in front of the media as the new "it" couple in the racing world. The darker mystery surrounding the deadly AB illness and the political wars surrounding the phoenixes create tension and intrigue. Overall, this was an incredibly enjoyable book, fascinating and hard to put down.

First of all, what the HELL.

Anyway onto the actual review. This is such a strong debut novel and truly has all the makings of a great YA fantasy novel. I’m obsessed with the phoenixes and thought the author did a fantastic job of showcasing the moral ambiguities that come with the phoenixes and the debate surrounding whether or not they should be collared or allowed to roam free. Especially seeing this from Kel’s POV as she grapples with being part of CAPR while also holding grudges and her father’s ideals of how phoenixes should be treated. I enjoyed all the descriptions of the races and Kel’s love for Savita shines through everything, even if her teammates tease her for being overprotective of Savita.

There were parts that felt a bit rushed at times, I definitely feel like the last half of the book flew by and would’ve liked to spend a bit more time letting things fall into place, especially the very end. That being said, I still greatly enjoyed this book. It has your tried and true tropes between rivals-to-lovers, fake dating, found family, and the likes—and I ate it up. I adore all these characters and was rooting for them, a bit surprised at how fast they grew on me.

I can’t wait to see more from Mikayla Bridge, especially with a debut novel as fantastic as this. -and I’m anxiously waiting for the US release so I can get this epilogue I was teased with-

Thank you, Mikayla Bridge, NetGalley, and Macmillan Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The phoenix racing concept was awesome! I feel like there aren’t enough books about phoenixes, and Bridge did a fantastic job at exploring the magic of these cool creatures! I loved the thorough guide included at the beginning to help readers better grasp each type of phoenix featured throughout the story.

I absolutely loved the big science corp vibe! Wanting to know which direction that would go in sucked me in pretty quickly.

The characters were lovable, and relatable. I loved the reluctant but playful allies to lovers trope. It kind of reminded me of the playful relationship between the main characters of the movie Twisters .
This was an amazing debut novel, and I can’t wait to read more from Bridge in the future!

My rating system:
1*: DNF or hate finished. Bad writing, bad plot, bad characters.
2*: Only finished because I already spent time on it. Story is interesting enough but major issues with plot, characters, or writing style.
3*: Enjoyed the book but nothing really stuck out.
4*: Thoroughly enjoyed the story, characters, and writing. Some critiques but nothing major.
5*: Will read again. LOVED THIS BOOK.

Rating for of Flame and Fury:
3.5 stars rounded up.

 PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ SPOILERS.

Of Flame and Fury was a captivating read. I loved it from start to finish. I really hope that there's a map included in the print edition of the book; it would be nice to picture the geography that we're working with in the story. I would not classify this as Fourth Wing meets Iron Widow as stated in the marketing. Frankly, for a YA I don't really like the idea of comparing it to Fourth Wing as that book is a little too steamy for young readers. I would not classify Of Flame and Fury

I thought the characters were loveable and well rounded; no one was perfect or terrible. Everyone felt very human and balanced. The plot moved at a good clip; it never felt slow or rushed. I loved the mystery element of the book very much; I think Kel having AB was an interesting and heartbreaking twist. I really wish I'd been able to read the epilogue! The book had a beautiful ending but now I'm itching for that epilogue!

I thought the concept for this book was very unique and I haven't really read another story like it. I think there could have been some improvements to the history of phoenix racing to expand on the world a bit more would have been nice but given that this is a YA novel, I think we got just enough to keep younger readers hooked without spending too much time on world building.
 
While I enjoyed the story, I would have liked MORE; there were some background elements to the story that I feel were not well fleshed out. For example, I feel like we should have gotten a little but more exposition on Dira and Kel's friendship; I think their friendship lacked some depth because of this. Kel mentions Dira being her best friend on many occasions throughout, but I don't think we got enough background to really feel the relationship.

I also didn't love Kel's disdain for Coup and his willingness to play into it. We never really learned why she dislikes him so much other than he's a well-known, cocky, pretty boy, risk taking rider in the CAPR circuit. Her dislike of him feels a little too deep to just be as surface as not liking a kind of famous person. It felt a little too much like forcing the enemies to lovers trope when really, Kel and Coup could have had a rivals to lovers sort of relationship that was less mean and contentious. Giving their relationship a more competitive vibe would have worked better for me than the outright disdain Kel expresses toward him.

One small plot hole that I got a little stuck on was glaringly obvious at the end of the book. I wondered throughout how the collars controlled the phoenixes. At the end, Cristo was able to force the phoenixes to fly and control them like angry RC cars. Are collars always able to control phoenix movement like this? Were these all his special collars?

All in all I would recommend this book to a friend as a fun and entertaining read. Despite some of my issues with character development and some mild plot holes, I had a great time reading this book.

Spoiler free edited reviews have been posted to Goodreads and Fable!

3.5/5

I want a phoenix! Gimme one! Or a dozen! I mean, I competitively ride horses, I think it's safe to assume that I'd be pretty decent at riding and racing phoenixes. Just sayin.

I really liked the guide at the beginning of the book, I thought that was really cool. Did I retain that information? No. Did I still really like it and think it was cool and then later remembered that information when it mattered? Yes!

This book has unlikely alliances, discovered secrets, and phoenixes! This was a cool read and I did enjoy it, but the characters did fall a little bit flat for me. I am thinking that might be because it is technically YA and I can find YA characters to feel quite flat and young. And YA enemies to lovers has to be executed so perfectly for it to work and that doesn't always happen. I can definitely see a younger (and by that I mean younger than me) audience enjoying this and not minding that slight lack of chemistry.

Also, I think this cover is so pretty. Such a nice color palette.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I thought this book had a really unique concept of phoenix riders instead of dragon riders. The suspense was amazing. However, I wasn’t really into the NASCAR vibes of the the racing, and the mmc was your stock overly cocky and arrogant bad boy. I still think my teen readers will love this book.

I dove into Of Flame and Fury not quite knowing what to expect, and honestly, it hooked me right from the first chapter. The pace was fast, in the best way possible. There’s no slow buildup—it just throws you into the thick of things, and I loved that. It kept me turning pages way past when I meant to stop.

One of the biggest highlights for me was the banter and tension between the main characters. The chemistry? Chef’s kiss. Their dynamic felt sharp and natural, and I found myself grinning through their back-and-forths or internally screaming during the more intense moments. It gave the story so much energy.

But what I really adored was the bond between the main character and her phoenix. It wasn’t just a magical creature sidekick situation—it felt emotional and real, like they were two parts of the same soul. Their connection was honestly beautiful, and I loved how central it was to the story.

And can we talk about how cool the phoenix lore was? Each phoenix had its own vibe and unique traits, and the way Mikayla Bridge described them made them feel like fully fleshed-out beings rather than just background magic. That attention to detail made the world feel so rich and vivid.

All in all, this book gave me everything I love in a fantasy read—fast pace, great characters, a little romance, and some seriously magical creatures. I’m already itching to get my hands on the next one. Thanks, NetGalley!

Just finished this book and I really enjoyed it. The cast of characters had a really good dynamic. Kelyn is a likable heroine for this story. She has good chemistry with Coup in an enemies to lovers story line. This book does end on a cliff hanger so I hope there will be another book.

My rating is 4.5.
Oh. My. Goodness!!!! I loved this book so much! And the way it is left off I sure hope there is going to be a second book! I absolutely loved Kel as a main female character! She is a badass when she needs to be, but soft when the time is for it. Coup is absolutely hilarious and you can tell he uses comedy as a facade! I absolutely loved everyone in this book! I did guess 2 things in this book, which I never get right. But I got them right this time and right after that I was yet wrong. It's so hard to explain. The description of the phoenixes in this book is so interesting and the world with the phoenix races is very cool! Read it!
Thank you Net Galley for approving me to read this book!

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story focuses on 17 year old Kel, the tamer and owner of the phoenix Savita. Kel and the rest of her team, the Crimson Howlers, race Savita in intense and deadly phoenix races in the hopes of making enough money to keep their lives from falling apart. When tragedy strikes their team, Kel and her best friend and teammate Dira must make an unlikely alliance with the Coupers brothers. Warren ‘Coup’ is Kel’s longtime enemy because of his recklessness as a rider but when he becomes Savita’s new rider she is forced to work together with him to keep their team, and her farm, going.

I had a really hard time with the first half of this book. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters and the only one I found remotely interesting was Coup but even his cockiness was off putting at times. Kel was my main issue with the characters. She was irritable all the time and was cruel to everyone around her, even her friends. She was so self absorbed with her own problems she was oblivious to how her actions affect everyone around her. She was also a self righteous hypocrite, something that a few of the other characters pointed out throughout the book. I could not relate to her actions or thoughts even if there was a reason for this behavior. Dira, Bekyn, Rahn, and Coup did get some character development to make them more likable but not nearly enough time was spent on them. Coup remains the best person in this book with the most development and explanation of his character. However, their enemies to lovers story also did not work well for me, possibly because I had a hard time believing why they hated each other so much to begin with.

I had a difficult time with some of the writing in this book. There were many times I kept going back to reread paragraphs and even pages because I felt like I missed something and I didn’t understand what was happening or couldn’t imagine a scene. Perhaps this is because it was an ARC but it just felt incomplete to me.

The pacing was also extremely strange in this book. The first half was a bit of a struggle for me but the second half just took off and never stopped. It was intense with back to back races (the best parts in my opinion), mysterious religious groups with confusing goals, and a sketchy tech mogul with many secrets and questionable motives for helping them. The phoenixes and their magic were very interesting but I felt the information about them was muddled.

While the second half of this book was gripping, the characters were not compelling or likable enough and there was too much confusion and plot holes for me.

4.5 stars rounded up - high school me would've been in love with this one.

I was intrigued by the premise of Phoenix racing and this book does not disappoint! I appreciated that the Phoenixes were portrayed as truly wild animals.

The book begins with a race and manages to break down how the racing works and the different types of phoenixes without feeling like an overbearing info dump. The pacing was relatively quick, though it does slow down a bit at points in the middle. The last 20% truly flew by and I couldn't put it down until I'd reached the end. I was able to guess most of the twists except for one that took me by complete surprise.

There was a good balance of fantasy and romance, and the relationship build-up felt quite natural. The characters are unique from each other and felt well developed. Kel, our main character, did come across as quite abrasive in the first half but she absolutely did grow on me in the second half. Coup felt charming throughout and I'm glad his character had more depth. I loved Dira's character, though she did make a frustrating decision or 2 over the course of the story. Bekn and Cristo unfortunately did feel a little more flat in comparison.

There are plot points and characters that I wish were expanded upon more - specifically the Fume! They're mentioned briefly early on and then aren't brought back up again until about 75% of the way in. I'm hoping that there's a sequel and the Fume will have a bigger role. I'm also super intrigued by Rahn's backstory and would like to know more!

Tropes:
Found Family
Rivals to Lovers
Magical Creatures

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!