Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, NA Fantasy | Release Date: 5 May 2022 | Series: The Fires of Aileryan | Series Book: #1 | Pages: 381 | Indie Author | Review
“You can’t create change without destruction. Fire never surrenders.”
Kate Schumacher
Overview:
Brace yourselves bookworms, because I’m about to fangirl *extremely* hard over Shadow of Fire by Kate Schumacher! This is the debut novel of an incredibly gifted Indie author, and is a NA fantasy recommended for ages 16+. The first book in The Fires of Aileryan series, Shadow of Fire completely immerses us in a world full of magic, deities, politics and danger…
Ash is a fire caster, and fire magic has been outlawed ever since the Rift occurred. When her magic is discovered, it soon becomes clear that powerful people want Ash for their own purpose… And to get away from the High Mage, Ash has to escape prison. With the threat of war from multiple sides, fae royalty are determined to get Ash to Sitra, even as they struggle to protect the world from what’s inside the Rift. But can anyone stop this war that’s brewing? Or will an assassin stop the one chance the fae have, to end the threat of the Rift? And can humans and fae put aside their differences, or will everything come crashing down as the season turns to winter?
Happiness Boost:
I cannot emphasise enough just how much I *love* this book! None of the characters in Shadow of Fire are one dimensional; every single one of them have strengths, weaknesses and uneasy alliances. The humans, fae and halfkin who fill these pages are characters I can’t say goodbye to, despite my turning of the last page. In Ash and the ensemble of other key characters, not everything is as it seems, and I can’t help but be excited for what could possibly come next.
Shadow of Fire situated me in a world that felt just as real as this one; it’s been pure magic to read a NA fantasy with such a unique and mesmerising world! What Kate has done (to perfection) is write a novel that gives us just the right balance of information and detail. She hasn’t overburdened us, but neither has she left the laws of the world solely up to our imagination. As this is something I have noticed many others struggle with, I’m always going to applaud when an author gets it right!
Truthfully if you want this book summed up in just one word? Bewitching. Even now, I’m struggling to write this review because I just want to yell to everybody who’ll listen: you need this book! This is one of the best books you’ll read for years, let alone just 2022!
Downside:
I don’t have a downside. I have loved every single word, every single page of Shadow of Fire!
Final Thoughts:
Kate Schumacher has begun her author career with an absolute gem of a NA fantasy. Shadow of Fire is truly an amazing, enthralling and irresistible start to The Fires of Aileryan series. It has a place in my heart, and I can tell you right now, I have a good feeling that so will anything else Kate writes. Her writing is just that good! If you love brave heroines, the presence of magic, and huge stakes that could see the end of everything? Join my fangirling, and go buy yourself a copy of Shadow of Fire as soon as you possibly can!
You can order via my Amazon link: Shadow of Fire
