The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renée Ahdieh.
CAST IN FIRELIGHT by DANA SWIFT
Series: Wickery #1
Publication date: January 19, 2021
Published by: Delacorte Press
Genre: YA fantasy
SYNOPSIS
Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.
Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.
Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.
Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross...and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.
Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.
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“A fun, fast-paced fantasy saturated in wonder with a pair of dynamic heroes who will steal your heart. You won’t want it to end!”—KAYLYNN FLANDERS, author of Shielded
“An enchanting adventure full of fast-paced action and fantastic characters. Set in a richly imagined fantasy world, Cast in Firelight delights on every level.”—ROSEMARY CLEMENT-MOORE, author of Texas Gothic and Spirit and Dust
“I was hooked from beginning to end. The romance and adventure unfolded brilliantly, and the world and its characters swept me away. I enthusiastically recommend it!”—KATHRYN PURDIE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Burning Glass and Bone Crier’s Moon
“Cast in Firelight sparks with quick humor and crystal prose, a vivid elemental magic system, a burning romance, and a heroine whose courage and wit light up the pages. A fantasy with a fresh voice equal-parts fun, romance, and action.”—AMELIE WEN ZHAO, author of the Blood Heir series
“Absorbing, perfectly plotted, and heartfelt, Cast in Firelight will have you turning pages and rooting for Dana Swift’s fierce, original heroine.”—LESLIE LUTZ, author of Fractured Tide
“A spell-binding debut with cage-fighting witches, vigilante heroism, and an intoxicating slow-burn romance. Fans of Serpent & Dove’s smart-alecky Lou and The Wrath and the Dawn’s cunning Sharhzard should prepare themselves to fall head over heels for the fiery Adraa.”—KELLY COON, author of the Gravedmaidens duology
“A satisfying romantic fantasy with a badass heroine and memorable setting….[Perfect for] fans of Susan Dennard and Roshani Chokshi.”—SLJ
“The intricate world with magic-fueled, action-packed fight scenes and snarky, colloquial banter is loosely infused with Asian Indian cultural references…will appeal to fans of fast-moving fantasy adventures.”—Kirkus Reviews
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dana Swift started making up fantasy worlds when she was eleven years old and hasn’t stopped since. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned degrees in English and Advertising. While in college, Dana competed as a saber fencer and learned a thing or two about fighting, parrying and how it feels to fall in love with your sparring partner. She currently lives with said husband in Miami, Florida.
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Cast in Firelight by Dana SwiftMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
What attracted me to this new series was the witch magic system surrounding the central plot. Witches are really hot right now in the genre, but I think I've been gravitating towards these stories since Deborah Harkness' All Souls trilogy. I'm also a big fan of standalone fantasies and duologies as opposed to trilogies so the fact that we are not subjected to a three book series that drags out over a period of many years is another plus. Many times, much in these series is unnecessary filler that begins to drag, making my interest taper off. While there were some slower paced sections in this book, for the most part I enjoyed the introduction to the world and the original storyline.
Adraa is the heir of Belwar who has been gifted with "the touch" a small marking on her skin that indicates that she has born magic ability. However, to her shame, she is unlike all other known magic users because she is marked on one arm instead of two. This is almost seen as a disfigurement-it's something unnatural that she feels self conscious enough about to hide. Right off the bat, you wonder what makes her different. Will this difference prove to be a source of great power rather than a disadvantage? Sometimes our differences are what makes us stronger, which is a wonderful theme to explore here. After a disastrous (but funny) first meeting with Prince Jatin as children, the two begin a fierce rivalry with one another that reaches into young adulthood. Adraa's feelings of inadequacy over her slow mastery of magic pushes her to "best" him at every possible opportunity. While their families believe they write love letters to each other from afar, they're actually taunting one another in their secret game of one-upmanship.
Adraa and Jatin meet again in unusual circumstances as their long awaited wedding looms. They meet under the guise of mistaken identities which allows them to see past the antagonism built in over their competitive relationship. Of course, this creates a forbidden romance feeling since they are attracted to one another despite believing they are engaged to someone else. The irony is that they are falling for their fiancé which is pretty amusing at times. I was wondering if either would "cheat" before their true identities came to light and I think that would have tarnished my respect for the characters if it had happened. Thankfully, we see them battle their conscience quite a bit as they work through everything they're feeling.
I shouldn’t be thinking about kissing her.I’m taken, by a girl she works for.And both of our countries depend uponAdraa and me marrying and standing up tomy uncle’s potential threat.What’s wrong with me?
I enjoyed the magic system with the nine gods, the colors, and affinities. It was interesting to see how Adraa's abilities manifested in such a unique way, and how it created a source of power that was a miraculous source of aid to her people. Unfortunately, this new magic that she created turned friends into traitors, and enemies desperate to use good for evil. Adraa and Jatin must eventually work together to discover who is behind the sinister plan unfolding. Working as a team, they grow past their attraction and discover a new respect for on another.
My only two critiques of the story are that:
1) It had some slow portions that I had to push myself through
2) Jatin had an almost instantaneous puppy love reaction that didn't feel entirely natural. I wish it could have been a little more drawn out, but I appreciated the unusual way they were able to get to know one another as "strangers."
Overall, I think this was a strong debut, and a solid first book in the duology. I've read a lot of YA fantasy, and this one brought something fresh to the table which was really appreciated. I'll be excited to see how everything concludes in Bound by Firelight this spring!
In truth, I have no idea what kind of student or wizardI would be without Adraa.I was one of the best becauseI couldn’t let a girl a year younger than I wasand hundreds of miles away win.And maybe I pushed her too.Maybe we would be great together—pushing each other to be betterin magic and life.
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