I devoured this book in 24 hours. Literally. Couldn't. Put. It. Down. Reading into the middle of the night, telling myself “just one more chapter".

Deb Ellen has created a world that's alive with:

🪄 Magic that’s both mysterious and dangerous
🏰 Intricate political power plays
💘 Romance that feels earned, not forced
🌍 Stunning world-building
👯‍♀️ Friendships that made me emotional

The plot and storline was unpredictable in the BEST way. Every time I thought I had something figured out—absolutelynot! I never knew what was coming, and that’s so rare these days.

But I’ll be honest—keeping track of the factions, lands, and all the names was a lot. At times, I had to flip back or pause to reorient myself. A glossary or map would’ve helped. Though I do find myself in this predicament with other fantasy books, it's alot to take in.

Still, that didn’t take away from how much I loved this story. The pacing was electric, the stakes were high, and the emotional payoff and interpersonal relationships between the characters was fantastic.

I’m now desperate for book two. I need answers. I need more of these characters. I need MORE WILDFIRE.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.8 if I’m being picky about the complexity)

With thanks to Deb Ellen, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Wildfire surprised me—in the best way. It starts with heartbreak and ballet shoes, then sweeps you into a world of elemental magic, political unrest, and a heroine who’s just trying to keep her world from falling apart (again).

Evie is raw and real. She’s grieving, angry, and powerful in ways she doesn’t fully understand yet. Watching her grow into that power—while navigating a complicated new world and an even more complicated ex-assassin named Kit—was such a satisfying journey. Their dynamic is slow-burn perfection: tense, tender, and never overdone.

Deb Ellen’s writing is vivid and immersive, with just the right balance of action, emotion, and world-building. The lore is rich , but it never overshadows the heart of the story: a girl learning to trust herself again.

If you love romantasy with depth, danger, and a touch of the unexpected, Wildfire is absolutely worth your time. I'm looking forward to book 2!

Some stories entertain, but Wildfire did more. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Evie’s journey was one of strength, struggle, and self-discovery, and every moment with her felt raw and real. I found myself rooting for her, aching with her, and celebrating her triumphs. 

And Kit—what a beautifully complex character. The slow-burn romance between him and Evie had me completely hooked, each interaction brimming with tension and emotion. Their chemistry was palpable, making their connection feel so authentic.

And then there’s Ishmael—complex, mysterious, and impossible to ignore. Every scene with him added depth to the story, making me constantly question his motives and alliances. Although I feel he only took interest in Evie when he found how who she really was.

Beyond that, the world-building is incredible. Syrestia feels so real, like a place I could step into and get lost in. The magic, the politics, the danger—it all came together perfectly. 

This book left me thinking about it long after I finished. If you’re into fantasy with high stakes, deep emotions, and characters that stay with you, Wildfire is absolutely worth the read! 

P.S Team Kit 🥰

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am so ready for book 2! This leaves you with wanting more and devouring the book all at the same time. It had a good intense slow burn and you can't help but feel for Evie who is struggling, grieving and fierce all at the same time. Their chemistry was undeniable, and I enjoyed reading how this developed and seeing where it goes

Wildfire was an intriguing read, but I found myself getting distracted by not fully understanding the world building which was key to the larger plot and conflict. I understand that this was important as Evie was also brand new to the world as she grew up in the mortal realm and kept in the dark regarding her birthright and her parents’ backgrounds.

The political intrigue felt unique and kept me guessing of what was going to happen. There was a wide variety of powers that I wish was further explained and fleshed out.

Kit was an interesting MMC, but one of my most frustrating things was his behavior whenever he almost became or was intimate with Evie. It was really disappointing that I felt he was using her.

The introduction of Ishmael is the main reason that I am most interested in continuing the series.

I feel like the writing doesn’t do a good enough job of conveying what’s happening to us in certain scenes. Also the world building is hard to follow at times. It just feels a little forced, overall.

The action in the book was repetitive in my opinion. Girl gets upset, does something she’s not supposed to, something bad happens and she gets caught, rinse and repeat.

The idea itself is very cool. I love the “normal” modern human world aspect and different worlds and realms, and the lore as well. I’m interested to see how this will end up playing out but tbd on if I’ll pick up book 2..

I do not like Kit. At all. I’ve read plenty of books with rough MMCs, and usually I don’t mind, but this is too much for me… lifting her BY HER THROAT, slamming her into walls and furniture, etc… and then saying he cares for her.. it just doesn’t track. But Ishmael is intriguing and I am curious about THAT storyline playing out.

This book dives straight into the action and maintains a fast pace from beginning to end. The characters are engaging and diverse, each bringing something unique to the story. I especially enjoyed the magic system and the various aspects of the different creatures. There's definitely potential for a sequel, and I’d love to see more of these characters in future adventures.

I love the world building and the unique magic system! I can also appreciate the FMC development through the story. I however can see this could swing toward why choose and even if it's not something I seek out to read it works here within this story! Also I have to say the cover is beautiful!

Wow! This book was a PAGE👏TURNER👏! I couldn't devour it fast enough. I didn't realize it was going to be a series until the very end and now it makes sense how tragic the FMC story is throughout, this is her origin story. She's literally fighting for her life from the very first page even though she has no idea why or what's going on. I'm not sure if we're supposed to, but I hate the MMC. He's big Tamlin vibes and just like in ACOTAR I kept being completely repulsed by his behavior and totally hated him even though I thought I was SUPPOSED to love him. 🤣 From 50%-75% I actually thought I didn't like this book. There's so many questions and never any answers, only more questions added to the list. It felt like the story changed directions several times and like it wasn't tying things together or wrapping anything up. The side characters are all assholes to the FMC and we don't really get to know them that much so when some of them die it was like, "eh".. BUT then in the final battle and the conclusion chapters it sinks in that this is a series and the author has spun a really intricate tapestry of information and characters and a whole multi-species magic system that we've only scratched the surface of. From Blood and Ash is one of my favorite series of ALL time and this story is constructed in what appears to be a very similar way. The FMC lands in a world she knows nothing about with power she can't understand or control and this 1st book was a carefully crafted foundation for the incredible things yet to come. I cannot WAIT to see Evie step into her power and show all these folks who is really the boss. She will be a force to be reckoned with. And I hope the 2nd MMC who we only briefly have the chance to swoon for becomes the Casteel to her Poppy. ❤️

Huge thanks for NetGalley and Troubador for allowing me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review! My review is shared on Goodreads, Fable, and Amazon. 💕

I went into WILDFIRE hoping for an exciting, mysterious ride, but the first 50 pages left me completely confused. At that point, I was struggling to enjoy the book because so much felt unclear, and I felt like I was missing essential context. I understand mystery is part of the book’s appeal, but a little more setup early on would have helped me stay engaged and invested.

The relationship between Kitt and Evie felt rushed and unearned. Their constant push and pull reminded me more of 12-year-olds testing boundaries than two people growing emotionally together. The rapid back-and-forth happened so frequently that it lost its emotional weight, making it hard to care about their dynamic.

As for Kit, he basically disappeared in the last 20% of the story. I get the whole “tough love” trope where a character distances themselves for the other’s good, but his absence felt too abrupt and unexplained. Aside from one scene, he vanished without any proper resolution or reconnection, leaving me repeatedly wondering, “Where the hell is Kit?” It felt like the story simply forgot about him.

On a more positive note, Ishmael was a standout character. He brought a calm, intriguing energy that cut through the chaos, and I genuinely wished the story had explored him more. Deb Ellen, if you’re listening, please give us more Ishmael!

The ending was strange — the very last paragraph sparked some curiosity and gave the story a slight boost, but overall, it felt rushed and unresolved. While I’m okay with cliffhangers and open questions, I didn’t like feeling like I missed half the story.

In summary, WILDFIRE has some interesting elements and characters, but the confusing start, rushed relationships, and abrupt character disappearances made it hard for me to fully enjoy. With better pacing and more clarity, it could have been a much stronger read.

This had all the elements to make it a fantastic read but it was incredibly frustrating. The last 30% were perhaps the best parts.

The miscommunication trope was annoying and Evie the FMC would have been better if she’d taken some agency and asked questions, gone to the library and read some books - rather than lashing out every time people didn’t say or act in the way she wanted.

I completely get that she has issues. And to begin with could really relate to her - I moved around a lot, have a younger brother who can do no wrong - but rather than looking at how she could
Improve things she’s moody and immature.

I also was not a fan of the Evie and Kit dynamic. That was toxic.

I enjoyed the latter part of the book when Evie got to know some of the other characters - love Alakim, and Ishmael is intriguing for sure.

Will I read the next book? Likely. As I said, it had all the elements: unique world, elemental magic but done in a slightly different way, prophecy, courtly intrigue.

Wildfire was an engaging read with some really strong moments. The premise drew me in right away, and I thought the author did a great job building tension and atmosphere throughout the story. There are emotional beats that hit well, and the characters felt believable in the way they handled difficult circumstances.

That said, there were a few parts where the pacing slowed for me, and I found myself wanting a little more depth in certain areas to fully connect with the story. Even so, the writing was solid, and when the momentum picked back up, it carried me through to a satisfying finish.

Overall, this landed at about 3.75 stars for me—definitely worth picking up if you enjoy heartfelt, dramatic storytelling with a mix of intensity and tenderness.

⭐️⭐️⭐️¾

WILDFIRE by Deb Ellen is one of my favorite reads this month... it was so so so good. I rated it 5 stars because it's that good... Totally recommend!

I was excited to read Wildfire, and I did enjoy it - the magic system was really unique. But I found myself really struggling to click in and connect with the story.

I was often confused about what had just happened and how did I find myself at this point and would need to reread a paragraph or two to try to understand. It felt like terminology was used without enough context or knowing how the characters had discovered it. And I got so frustrated with the lead on and not getting enough information for a lot of the book.
I was surprised at how little the ballet played into the storyline also, I’d thought it could have been used as an asset for our FMC.

I liked the premise of the characters and who they were, though I felt like they were shallower than they could have been. I didn’t really like the FMC. I felt like she was immature and annoying, a bit selfish. I thought something good was going to come of the relationship with the MMC but I was left scratching my head there too. Most supporting characters seemed to be kind of picked up and dropped again at will - I didn’t feel like some of them made a difference being there or not. One character piqued my interest enough to continue reading the series by the end. I would read the next book purely to find out what happens with his arc and how he fits into the bigger picture.

Overall, it’s a good story with an intriguing magic system different to what I’ve read previously, heaps of potential for the next book in the series.

Thank you to Deb Ellen, Troubador Publishing and NetGalley for the Arc read in exchange for my honest review!

This had a lot of promise, but it wasn't executed as well as it could have been. Evie and Kit's relationship is so odd to me (instalust with a heavy side of controlling ex boyfriend gaslighting vibes plus a dash of some Freudian "you look like your mom" throwbacks in the first half). Our MMC spends the whole time scolding our FMC for not knowing what is going on, but won't fill her in. There's so much going on with the plot that it's hard to really know what is going on. I know some of that is the point, as we're only getting Evie's POV, but the constant info dumping obscured that design some. Still, I am invested and want to know what happens with the characters next (mainly Ishmael).

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my review.

A whole new, dark world to explore! It is very well written, and I love the fact that the secrets are kept from the reader as well as the lead character Evie. It pulls her emotions into better focus! The characters are well written and engaging, and the storyline is captivating!