Audiobook ARC provided by Macmillan Audio

Of Flame and Fury had an intriguing concept, but unfortunately it didn’t fully land for me. The phoenix races were a unique idea and immediately brought to mind How to Train Your Dragon. There were moments that hinted at influences from Fourth Wing and even Jurassic Park, especially when the story touched on experimentation and control of phoenixes. These elements had potential — but the execution didn’t quite hold up.

The central romance between Kel and Coup is introduced as a “star-crossed” pairing, and while their fake-dating dynamic gave off Hunger Games vibes (think Katniss and Peeta), the chemistry felt flat and underdeveloped. I never quite connected with their relationship or the stakes tied to it.

One of my biggest struggles was with the pacing and structure. The narrative felt disjointed, jumping from one hurdle to the next without much buildup or payoff. It often felt like the story was trying to do too much at once without fully grounding the reader. There’s also a lot of explanation around phoenix care — like monitoring them so they don’t overheat or distinguishing between collared and wild ones — which was interesting in theory, but didn’t always feel smoothly woven into the plot.

As a debut, I can appreciate the ambition behind it, but this wasn’t a page-turner for me. The story lacked cohesion, and the characters didn’t feel fully realized. While the world had promise, the book didn’t quite deliver on the depth or emotional impact I was hoping for.

Fire, phoenixes, and high-stakes racing. On an island built from ash and shrouded in flame, phoenix racing is as profitable as it is deadly. Kel dreams of only one thing — keeping her late father's farm afloat and holding on to Savita, her beloved phoenix. Her only chance to earn the money she needs is to join the races. But for that, her team needs a new rider to help.

This book has an amazing and unique worldbuilding. Unexpected twists, found family, and loyal friends. I liked how the book shows that wild animals — even when in captivity and treated well — shouldn’t be expected to give you anything except what they choose to. The same goes for any living being. A reminder worth repeating.

This story gives off major The Scorpio Races, How to Train Your Dragon, and Formula 1 vibes — and I mean that in the best way.

I also want to highlight that the book has a wonderful audiobook narration with a British accent by Safiyya Ingar. If you enjoy audiobooks or don’t have much time to read, this format is definitely worth considering. And to see if the narration works for you, you can always listen to a sample first.

Tropes:
— enemies to lovers
— fake relationships
— found family
— racing
— phoenixes
— slow burn

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), Macmillan Young Listeners, and NetGalley for providing this eARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: 4.25 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Audio review: Narrator Safiyya Ingar did a wonderful job! I really enjoyed listening to this, especially during the action and high emotion scenes. Great quality audiobook!

Book review: When I saw that this was recommended for F1 romance and fantasy fans, I immediately had to read it! I definitely see the similarities.

The concept of competitive phoenix riding was really intriguing, and I enjoyed the high action race scenes. The romance was also sweet and well done, especially for a YA book. I ate this one up - it's such a quick read!

The main plot points were mostly predictable, but I didn't mind because it was well written and I enjoyed the story and characters. I would have loved some more in depth world-building.

This definitely had fourth-wing vibes. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to receive the ALC, and I cannot wait for everyone else to meet Kel and the world of Phoenix Racing. I was really invested after the first chapter. The enemies to lovers were giving ugh the way I was so engrossed in this novel, I did not leave my spot till I finished!. I appreciated the characters' gradual development, and the plot was action-packed from beginning to end. From page one, there was action and plenty of twists and turns! Thank you, NetGally, for the opportunity to listen to the ALC. Of Flame and Fury will be published on July 8, 2025! ….

This was such a fun book! It is action packed and had a great storyline. The market is over saturated with romantasy stories but this felt unique and not quite like stories I've read before.

I never saw the twist coming and it was a great twist. It tied in nicely with the story and thinking back the signs are there. However, you don't really recognize that they are signs until the end. I think some of the plot is very obvious, but this book in intended as YA so I did take that into account.

The world building was OK. At times, I didn't understand what was going on and why.

The romance was a little under developed as well. As the reader, I could see the beginnings of a great romance but it felt rushed at times. I didn't feel the angst of turning from rivals to lovers. However, this did not affect my overall opinion of the book.

I really enjoyed this and am kind of sad it is over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mcmillan Audio of the arc audio.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of Of Fury and Flame. I absolutely loved this book! I loved the idea of Phoenix riders. This story pulled me in ight from the beginning. The character development was really good. I felt emotionally attached to all the characters by the end and I can't wait for Book 2!

This book was a fun, fast-paced ride that I enjoyed it a lot!

Phoenix racing scenes? Plentiful.
Hints of fake dating? Yes.
A non-broody MMC with a personality besides being a mysterious bad boy? Also yes.
Lots of lore on phoenixes? Hell yes.

I will say, I know publishers are being liberal with the enemies to lovers term for marketing purposes, but this really isn’t an enemies to lovers story.
Coup, the MMC, is a phoenix racer known for his reckless style of flight that the FMC, Kel, dislikes. But they’re really not enemies. His manner just rubs her the wrong way and she thus finds him grating. They start to warm up to each other quite quickly.

And this brings me to their relationship development.
In my opinion, the author didn’t quite manage the transition from reluctant teammates to lovers here. While I actually did enjoy their relationship once they’d gotten to know each other more, I found Kel’s change in how she thought about Coup a little sudden and not well developed enough. There’s a pretty pivotal scene that leads to this change in their dynamic, and while I liked the idea behind it, I just don’t think their feelings for each other were showcased enough prior to this. I would have loved to have the fake dating trope (that I liked here!) explored more and utilized to its full potential for more cute moments between them.

Onto the phoenix racing plot point.
I really loved the whole concept behind the phoenix racing and the entire teams behind the sport. The mechanics of it were fascinating, and I almost wished we could have gotten more deeply into the sponsorship aspects and technical aspects of this sport, though we did get plenty of racing scenes. I liked that the phoenixes were portrayed as willful, powerful animals that really couldn’t be controlled. They weren’t cuddly, they weren’t docile — they were beautiful, wild animals that could easily kill humans in their vicinity, and their danger was palpable whenever they were on-page. That said, yes, the worldbuilding did feel a tiny bit bare overall. I really wish we had gotten more information on other racers and teams, because the lack of it led to the world feeling strangely empty at times.

Aside from that, the book had an overarching plot that also slowly builds throughout the book.
This one, as it is revealed, was slightly predictable. It was fine and competently executed, but not nearly as compelling as the aforementioned elements. There was a pretty surprising plot point involving another character that sprung up in the last batch of chapters that threw me off for a while and made me question why exactly the author added it. Yes, it’s tied to a certain revelation pertaining to the FMC, but I felt like it was unnecessary and distracted me from the story as I tried to make sense of it.

Otherwise, I’ll just reiterate again that I had fun with this! It’s definitely not a perfectly written book and not some wildly original masterpiece, but it delivers on excitement and is, in my opinion, a well-executed YA fantasy story.

I listened to this as an audiobook for half of it and then switched to reading, and I can say that the narrator did a fantastic job. The way she found such different intonations for each of the characters was just masterfully done, and I can fully recommend this audiobook experience for the excitement of the racing scenes alone as they were a real delight to listen to!


Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Of Flame and Fury is a rivals-to-lovers debut YA fantasy. Somehow it is a sports romance fantasy, which is a first for me. I enjoyed the characters and the phoenix. The story was set up well and kept my interest and attention. I do think the morality of the whole story, especially the climax of the plot, was questionable and unfortunately fell apart at the end.

Safiyya Ingar’s narration was fantastic. The audio uplifted the story.

4 stars ⭐️ Action, romance, and fantasy! It delivers Fourth Wing x Hunger Games vibes. The first half of the book is slow paced but the second half was fast. It took me a long time to get into the world and characters but once I did, it was a great read.

What to expect:
- enemies to lovers
- fake dating
- phoenix racing
- found family

I really enjoyed Saniya Ingar narrating. The pacing and emotion portrayed added to the story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

I loved the book and I didn't think it could get much better but reading it with the audio was twice as awesome! I loved the narrator and the speed. I would recommend this forever!

Of Flame and Fury is a heart pounding, action-packed novel full of phoenixes, moral dilemmas, and deadly consequences. I don't want to say too much in fear of spoilers, but the ending was perfect and left me unsure if this is a standalone or a series. If Mikayla Bridge does write more books in this world, I would love to see character development with the crew or a focus point shift to the other magical creatures introduced in Of Flame and Fury.

Safiyya Ingar did an incredible job narrating. This is the second audiobook I have listened to her narrate, and she solidified herself among my favorite narrators.

I received an ARC and ALC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) and Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this young adult fantasy from debut author Mikayla Bridge. In this world, phoenix racing (F1 meets dragon riding) is dangerous but lucrative. The imagery the author creates around the creatures and the setting is very cool.

After losing two of their teammates, Kel and her best friend have to team up with the infuriating rider Coup and his brother. They also have to get a new sponsor to save her Phoenix Savita. I imagined Cars 2 when Lightning McQueen goes to the new training center with the new sponsor.

This is a high fantasy with technology mixed with magic. While there is a love story between a rider and a tamer, there is a ton of plot outside of that about justice, wealth, tech, safety and a lot of secrets!

There was a great twist I didn't see coming at all and I'm still thinking about. The book ends on a cliffhanger and book two isn't out yet

I started this one as an ebook and was hooked, but when I switched to the audiobook, it was even better! The narrator had a great accent and was very talented.

This book comes out July 15. Add it to your TBR if you are looking for a unique premise in your next fantasy! This one is truly something I've never read!

Thank you to Mikayla Bridge, Macmillan publishing and Macmillan audio for the ARC and ALC.

3.5 stars. This is how you write a FMC. She wasn’t the most special, most powerful, most beautiful, or the most MOST. She had an expertise she worked hard for, she wasnt confident and relatable. Great main character energy. The story was exciting from start to finish and I liked the uniqueness of using a phoenix and not dragons. However, the plot felt a little weak and I wanted to connect with the characters more. Definitely worth the read though.

This is an ARC review. I want to thank Mikayla Bridge and McMillan Audio for allowing me the chance to listen to this book ahead of release day!

Kelyn (Kel) Varra and Warren Coupers (Coup) are enemies to lovers in a racing phoenix fantasy I could not put down! The banter between the two but knowing they need each other for the Howlers. If I thought there was action in the first half it picked up 10 notches in the second half. It was jam packed with adventure, suspense, plot twists, and everything in between. There is minimal spice which I didn’t find to be missing. It was necessary to expand on the intense banter and tension that NEEDED to be snapped between Kel and Coup.

Savita is the GOAT! There might have been times I questioned her but at the same time I questioned the humans who thought it was a great idea to tame these beasts in the first place. Kel’s appreciation and respect for not just Sav but all phoenixs.

The plot is very fast paced with something happening nearly every chapter. It is a binge worthy read that will keep you on your toes. There’s nothing better than falling in love with characters or disliking some with the fire of a thousand suns just based on how a book is written. The narrator did a great job portraying Kel which allowed me to connect with her even more. The narrator also did a great job changing her voice for all additional characters to note who was speaking without visually reading the book.

The plot feels original, unique and fresh. The story pulls you in immediately starting with an intense race scene.

The world building felt like there were a lot of holes, I found myself confused on some things. The technology aspect wasn't explained, but perhaps had it been it might have felt too lengthy and bogged the story down. This is definitely a simple read making it a nice YA for younger readers or anyone wanting the fantasy feel without the extremes of an epic fantasy.

The relationship progression felt really natural, and their banter was fun. The push and pull dynamic was great. I loved that the plot is the main focus with the romance secondary.

The characters did lack development though, the most developed was Coup, which is probably why I liked him best. I would have liked for growth for Kel, she was irritable and not nice to her friends, and seemed only concerned with her own problems, it would have been great for her to come around some to show she's grown as a person. We didn't get nearly enough time with the side characters for them to feel fully developed.

Audio: The narrator really adds life to the story and captured my attention by adding emotion and appropriate inflections in the delivery, though some pauses after what seemed to be a period felt a tad bit too long, and there isn't much differentiation between character voices.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook!

Beautifully narrated. I got goosebumps right at the beginning, it pulls you in immediately.
I read the excerpt, and I liked it so much that I decided to read the whole thing!

Phoenixes, wild and dangerous, are hard to control, yet there are people who organize races with them.

It's a world of technology, magical and dangerous creatures, and a virus with no escape...

I think it’s worth reading just for the phoenixes, plus it's perfect for fans of racing, adrenaline, and secrets.

I worried I wouldn’t like it because of comparisons to “Fourth Wing” and “Iron Widow,” but I connected with the book.

The style is light and enjoyable; at times the pace felt quick, and I was able to predict some moments, but the ending surprised me—I might not have thought too deeply and was just reading, which made my eyes widen.

I really enjoyed the banter between the characters; she’s a grump, while he’s a sunshine who gets into trouble.

At times, the heroine's paranoia annoyed me, and it bothered me that she wasn't trusted, but I understood her.

I liked that the phoenixes are truly wild creatures here, unlike how dragons are often portrayed with a quick attachment to the hero.

Every animal is born to be free, but people love to control everything.

I really enjoyed the racing atmosphere; I thought about something similar last year, and I finally got it!

It reminded me more of "How to Train Your Dragon."🤌🏻

• Enemies to lovers
• Fake relationships
• Phoenixes
• Racing
• Found family
• Secrets

Forget dragons, phoenixes are where it's AT. Add in some insane racing and you had me hooked from the very start.

I love a book that drops you right into the action, so I was hooked from the start. I think I only paused this audiobook a handful of times because I was drawn into the story and didn't want to stop. I loved it, the plot was well written and I loved the world the author created here with so many details that just added to making it interesting. The characters were amazing, and the enemies to lover trope? Well done, I loved the slow-burn tension that was happening.

this was AMAZING. a 10/10 honestly wish I could erase my memory and relisten all over again! the narration was perfectly cast, I can't imagine anyone else that fits!

4.5 stars
This is a solid debut! We have had dragon riders. We have had gryphon riders. Now we have phenolic riders and racing! I received a physical arc and the alc for this debut and one thing I had heard from some of my friends was that they were loving this. I did as well. This year has been a big sports year for me as well as fantasy and in this I feel like I got the best of both worlds. I got the phoenix racing! While F1 has been a new things for me this year I felt like this book scratching my racing itch that I had been feeling, while also solving the “I don’t want to leave my fantasy worlds yet” problem.
Our MC is a 17 year old Kel. Her phoenix is Savita and she ends up joining the Crimson Howlers who really want to win the races. But when her house burns down she ends up having to take a job with the tech mogul who takes an invested interest in Savita.
I really thought the was very well paced. I really liked Coup and Kel. I really loved the twists that Mikayla Bridge throws at us. The racing makes it feel even more fast paced and kept my interest. I am very interested to see what she does next…I am hoping it is something equally as cool as this becuase if it is I will automatically buy it!

The audio was very well done. Narrated by Saniya Ingar who has done other works like “For She is Wrath” which was another book that did very well last year. The audio performs well at higher rates of speeds. I really like how she articulates her words. They are crisp and very clear. I will definitely be picking up more audio books by her. The production of the audio was also very well done. It sounded very clear the whole entire time and very seamless.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the complementary listener copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own