If you like 4th wing, or iron flame. This is RIGHT up your alley. I found it suspenseful & exciting.
I can't say I would re read it or read it#2 if thats in the works, but if you like exciting reads, this is great for you!

This book just wasn't for me. I loved the idea of it but I spent most of my time waiting for something to happen.

This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The beginning had me curious—I was like hmm, okay let’s see where this goes. Then halfway through, I was fully on board. The characters started clicking, the tension was there, and I was feeling it.

But then the ending just…fizzled. It was so predictable that I caught myself waiting for it to be over. Like I knew what was coming, and there were no surprises left to keep me hooked.

That said—the audiobook narration was solid. It kept me engaged even when the plot lost a bit of steam. If you enjoy a fantasy with familiar beats and strong voice work, it might still be worth the listen.

Most people are suckers for dragons, but my fantasy all-star is the Phoenix. Of Flame and Fury is a fast-paced heart-pumping adventure that kicks off with Phoenix racing and ends on a high note. I could read five more books from this world 👀Mikayla bridge hope you make this happen.

4 Stars

This book was a bit of fresh air after reading so many dragon books. Its probably not far off from dragons, but I did really appreciate the phoenix take. This book doesn't hold back either, you are dropped straight into an intense and heartbreaking race. Learning who the characters and seeing some of their dynamics straight out of the gate.

I really liked how the book touched on the different phoenix types and how they have their own traits. This was the same for the characters they were all a bit different and their own dept in them. I really enjoyed watching the two main characters grow and become closer to each other. It also had a trope that I really enjoy in contemporary romance books.

The pacing of this book is pretty well done as well. There are times that it does lag or go too fast but overall its well done.

The narration and producing of this book is well done. The narrator did a great job giving distinct voice to each character making it easy to follow. She also brought the characters to life and really brought depth to them.

I look forward to continuing with this series and reading more from Mikayla Bridge in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced listeners copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

Of Flame and Fury, Mikayla Bridge's debut, was written so exceedingly well! A fantasy read with romance and adrenaline in addition. This world contains mythical creatures, phoenixes, and they're the primary sources of survival, power, and sport. A phoenix tamer, Kel Varra, is fighting to keep her family's "legacy" afloat while also navigating the deadly world of phoenix racing. These races are the central part of the plot - they are thrilling and relentless. The final plot twist was unexpected and leaves the anticipation for a sequel!

Tropes:
✨ Enemies to Lovers
✨ Rivals-to-Teammates
✨ High-Stakes Competition
✨ Mythical Creatures
✨ Slow-Burn Romance

I was given the opportunity to read this book from Netgalley on audio. (Yes, that's still "reading".) I enjoyed this book so much and I wanted to give it 5 stars and I almost did... but the cliffhanger ending has me like "What?! How long do we have to wait for the sequel?!?" But that's totally a personal thing for me, I am not a patient gal.

However, the suspense? 5 stars. The action? 5 stars. The romance, "enemy to lover?", slow burn... 5 big stars.

This book literally throws you into the action from the first page. It hooked me immediately. The sport portrayed is like NASCAR on steroids but with Phoenixes. Like horseback racing, but the horses fly and are on fire. I've never read anything like it. The entire book felt fast paced and I could not put it down. I finished in a day and a half, listening while I cleaned, drove my car, walked the dog and even went to the grocery store with one ear bud in. I was INVESTED. Absolutely fantastic read... but can the sequel come out next week, please?

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge. All opinions are my own.

Of Flame and Fury is a young adult fantasy set in a world that has both magical creatures and technology. There’s the dangerous sport of phoenix racing as well as a sweet romance between rivals.

This book started out with a bang and was easy to get into. The pacing was quick during the first half of the book, and I enjoyed the intensity of the different phoenix races.

The characters in this story were likable, and I especially loved the tension and later friendship between Coup and Kel. The found family aspect with the phoenix racing team was also very wholesome.

The phoenixes were one of my favorite things about this story because I haven’t read any other books where they are the primary magical creature that is discussed. I liked that they were dangerous and didn’t really care about the safety of humans.

I think I would’ve given this book five stars if it hadn’t been for where the plot went in the last fourth of the book. I found it confusing, and I just didn’t really enjoy it like I did the rest of the book.

I don’t think there’s going to be a sequel for this book (at least I’m not aware that there is), which makes the ending pretty unsatisfying to me.

I listened to the audiobook for this story, and while I liked it, I did have to slow the speed way down (for me at least) because I couldn’t focus on the story. I read half of the book and then completely restarted it at a slower speed because I didn’t remember that much of what I had just read.

Overall, I liked this book and think it was great for a debut. I would definitely read more books by this author in the future.

If you love a fast paced racing novel with high tech gear and mythological creatures you’ll love this. I loved the phoenixes, but the storyline was kinda of meh for me. For the right crowd I’m sure that this is an amazing YA book, just not for me.

Of Flame and Fury starred off a little slow but did pick up quickly. I enjoyed the underlying themes on animal preservation and compassion. This book reminded me of Fireborne meets Crown of Feathers. I enjoyed the book and narrator did a great job pulling you into the world and characters. I will be continuing the series and recommending to my students

A fun, modern fantasy read. The plot is a little convoluted for me at first, but the characters and the setting are interesting enough that I could let that slide.

The storyline and plot felt very original, the author did a really good job with all the details and explanations. I always love me a good enemies to lovers story but personally I realized I don’t really like F1 racing books but overall this book was good especially if you do like the racing aspect. The narrator also did a really good job with how she portrayed the character and all the emotions!

I was completely hooked by the world-building and the unique concept of phoenix racing, and it’s such a fresh, exciting twist on fantasy competition. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic leaned more toward rivals-to-enemies, especially since the main character, Kel, really can’t stand the way Coup races. Their tension added so much spark to the story! I can't wait for the next book this one was a fast-paced, fun, and immersive read. If you loved fourth wing I definitely recommend picking this up! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year!! And I feel so lucky to have received this ARC on netgalley!

I flew through this audiobook in 2 days. I have always had a connection to the legend of the phoenix, so the book's premise instantly drew me in. It was fun to feel like a phoenix rider through the descriptions in this book. I will definitely recommend it to everyone who loves mythological creatures and action/adventure stories.

3.25
This was fun, yet somehow couldn't quite hold my attention.

Of Flame and Fury has such cool world building and the premise and framework feel pretty unique. The vibe is rough and fiery and with the rivalry between FMC and MMC, this has a perfect foundation.

I think it was the plot that lost me a bit. Not because it's bad - it really has some fun twists. It's just that, although some of the details were unexpected, a lot of it felt rather predictable.
It felt like I always knew which major turns were going to happen just a bit too soon before they happened. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing - sometimes that's what makes a book a comfortable read.
However, within this very unusual and intriguing world the author created, it left me a bit underwhelmed as I struggled to stay interested.

Which I find so sad because I think it's actually a good book! The writing is there, the conflicts make sense and aren't forced to further the plot but feel natural and the characters work,
I liked the FMC, the overall way she handled things has a level of cool aloofness that tries to cover all the vulnerability she ultimately can't really hide. As for the MMC, I very much see his potential. He too has the layers and is generally well crafted and well, intriguing. I enjoyed seeing the shift of perspective on him as the FMC got to know him.

Somehow though I didn't quite feel the chemistry. Not because it wasn't there - it was definitely palpable in his actions in particular. But because I felt like it lacked padding, I think? It just happened and while it didn't come out of nowhere and was rather on the side of slow burn, I still overall felt like progress happened out of nowhere.

I very much enjoyed the audiobook version of this, the narration was actually amazing! I loved how Safiyya Ingar infused the story with so much emotion, did an impressive job at adapting her voice to the situations and breathed that extra level of life into the characters.

To sum it up, Of Flame and Fury is a fun read with a unique magic system and pretty cool world building. While the story itself might not have been one to sweep me off my feet, it was still very much enjoyable. Some aspects left me a bit underwhelmed and at times had me struggle with staying focused. yet overall I think it's worth a read and I feel like many will love this.

Thank you to Net Galley, Macmillan Audio and Mikayla Bridge for an ALC of this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to review.
I absolutely love a good romantasy and throw in some phoenixes and I’m sold! The narration was perfect, as a matter of fact they could’ve been reading their grocery list and I’d have listened.
The world building was fantastic and I really enjoyed the characters. I cannot wait for book 2!

Kel Varra is the leader of the Crimson Howlers, a phoenix racing team. After their current rider dies in a race, Kel is forced to accept a new rider, Coup, despite hating his arrogance and risky tactics. A tech mogul sponsors their team, but Kel is suspicious of his motives and worries for her phoenix, Savita.

This book has a truly unique setting and world. The details about the island Kel lives on, phoenix racing, and the politics of the world are fascinating. I didn't fully understand everything, but I appreciated the originality of it.

Kel was a hard character to warm up to. She remained hostile and angry towards Coup long after he had proven his loyalty. The relationship they developed felt unrealistic. There was an explanation for her behavior towards the end of the book, but I still think the author needed more scenes to show how their feelings grew. They simply didn't have enough chemistry to make me want to root for them.

This book is hard to rate. The concept is amazing, but I felt a bit underwhelmed by the characters and plot. I would read more set in the world, though, and I believe this is a strong debut for the author.

Fast-paced, emotional, and fierce! Of Flame and Fury delivers phoenix racing, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a found-family that stole my heart. Kel is a gritty, determined heroine, and her bond with Savita the phoenix is everything. The romance with Coup is a slow-burn spark, and the stakes never let up. Loved it 🐦‍🔥
The heart and emotion in this book was everything ❤️ and the trauma all the characters face both past and present were gripping and I couldn't stop listening. The ending left me longing for more!

The narrator really brought this story to life. I really enjoyed how she could change her accent for different characters.

Thank you Netgalley for the ALC in return for my honest review.

I LOVED THIS. DEVOURED. ATE IT UP. NEED MORE IMMEDIATELY. THE HOTTEST BOOK OF THE SUMMER. COULDNT STOP READING

Rivals to Lovers, Adventure

This was a great YA fantasy book. The narrator's voice was really good and easy to follow. The story line was fast paced and felt adventurous. I was so into the adventure/suspense/Fantasy that when they sidelined into the romance, I wanted them to get back to the Phoenix issue. But def I am a romance girl so their story and banter added to the storyline. Great worldbuilding, great story, great ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.