“There is no pain in this death, only peace, knowing I am going to die with the one I love the most.” — Katriona Wilde

Katriona Wilde has never wondered what it would feel like to have everything she’s ever known and loved ripped away, but she is about to find out. When she inadvertently leads her sister and best friend through a portal into a world she’s dreamed of for six years, she finds herself faced with more than just the frightening creatures in front of her. She’s forced to accept a new truth: her entire life has been a lie, and those closest to her have betrayed her. What’s worse, she has no control over her new future, and it’s full of magic and horrors from which nightmares are made. Will she discover and learn to control who she really is in time to save the ones she loves, or will all be lost?

[Full disclosure: I received a free book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

After my rant about the lack of diversity in fantasy, I took a break from the genre for a bit, knowing that a return would prompt another rant.  Now that I’m through my cooling off period, I decided to give fantasy another chance.  And you know what?  I’m glad I did because I found Wilde’s Fire by Krystal Wade.

Romance, fascinating characters, a love triangle with a huge twist and superb world-building…what more could you ask for in fantasy?  Well, this first book in the Darkness Falls series will leave you anxious for the second book, but nothing else because it is such a satisfying read.  Wilde’s Fire is a fast-paced roller coaster that will keep you quite literally on the edge of your seat.  The book starts out slow, but I guarantee that after the second chapter, you won’t want to put it down.

Katriona “Kate” Wilde, the main character, is pretty much your typical female lead in the beginning, but as she becomes more sure of herself and falls in love, she becomes a very strong protagonist.  I would call this more of a character driven novel than a plot driven novel, which I actually don’t mind because Kate is such a good character.  She stays strong, but she has her vulnerable, more human moments and she doesn’t fall in Insta-Love.  It’s a nice change, actually.

For those of you that love good world-building, I would recommend this book.  The daemons, the magical animals, the different humanoid races…they are partly clichés, but Krystal Wade had put a spin on these old fantasy tropes.  For a first time writer, she really does have amazing world-building.  Heck, she’s better than most experienced writers when it comes to world-building.

I give this book 5/5 stars.

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