Book Review- Firekind by Angela Wren Crocker

25th April 2022

"Regardless of what happens next, I know enough to know that I love you, and everything else might change, but that never will"

First of all, I just want to say a huge thank you to Love Book Tours and Angela for including me in the ARC book tour, where do I even start with this book?! I have been itching to write this review for well over a month as it was so good! I was lucky enough to receive my very own paperback for this book too, so I am seriously thrilled to have it on my bookshelf!

This YA mythical world, intense fantasy novel, to me was a cross between Carnival Row, and LOTR, but in a more magical way! It was a fantastic fast-paced adventure that kept me hooked all the way through, constantly asking questions like HOW did that happen? THAT was amazing!?

Angela managed to write in such a way that was impressive, she also included a creative intelligent way of portraying the Icelandic language which conveyed humour immensely as the reader could tell there was swearing in there but not sure what Thom was saying which was brilliant. Wren's metaphors/similes astonished me during reading this, it imprinted in my mind that much I ended up writing most of my favourite bits down, such as "His over-veined wrists, as thick as three branches" and "the ominous clouds churning like they were being mixed by gigantic hand blenders". The use of this identified such a powerful description of the surroundings and a fantastic portrayal of the characters look, and also personalities.

Another favourite part of this for me was the subconscious thoughts that both the MC were fighting over, in a dual POV type way. This created such exciting suspense of a will they, won't they type of feeling. Although there was romance in the book, it was just a tiny snippet of the themes that overlapped in this novel which as an author I find hard to come by, so I loved the idea of the love rifs between Thom and Poppy. I also admired the way Angela managed to convey the realistic and difficult family controversy's and the dynamics these arguments and circumstances which unfolded.

This novel was a love against all odds, a fight pushed to be won, a battle of memories, and the confusion of the unknown (fantastic part of this book may I add). The magical and mystical battles incorporated into this book really excited me, as every single sentence there was ALWAYS something going on, it was jam-packed cleverly without being rushed or full of jargon.

I adored the concept of the new language and the themes such as feys, grens, shadowbeasts, firekinds, and all the elements and the exciting new worlds created.

I'm so excited for the next instalment of the 'Firekind Series'.