Tessa Gratton

Justina Ireland

From New York Times bestselling author Justina Ireland and Tessa Gratton comes the first book in a ferocious YA fantasy duology featuring ancient magic, warring factions, and a romance between the two people in the world with the most cause to hate one another. Darling Seabreak cannot remember anything before the murder of her family at the hands of House Dragon, but she knows she owes her life to both the power of her Chaos Boon and House Kraken for liberating her from the sewers where she spent her childhood. So when her adoptive Kraken father is captured in battle, Darling vows to save him--even if that means killing each and every last member of House Dragon. Talon Goldhoard has always been a dutiful War Prince for House Dragon, bravely leading the elite troops of his brother, the High Prince Regent. But lately his brother's erratic rule threatens to undo a hundred years of House Dragon's hard work, and factions are turning to Talon to unseat him. Talon resists, until he's ambushed by a fierce girl who looks exactly like the one his brother has painted obsessively, repeatedly, for years, and Talon knows she's the key to everything. Together, Darling and Talon must navigate the treacherous waters of House politics, caught up in the complicated game the High Prince Regent is playing against everyone. The unlikeliest of allies, they'll have to stop fighting each other long enough to learn to fight together in order to survive the fiery prophecies and ancient blood magic threatening to devastate their entire world.

Chaos & Flame

Listen. If you are not a YA fan, & especially a YA fantasy fan, pls move along bc you would hate this book. Happily, I still find lots to adore in YA fantasy, so this was great fun for me! Yes, everything in this book has been done a million times over in other YA books. Forbidden enemies-to-lovers romance? Check. Chosen one? Check. Fiesty heroine who is good with knives has to infiltrate the enemy palace & wear a lot of pretty dresses she feels slightly uncomfortable in? Check. Animal-based factions warring on each other? Check. A magical lore that is somehow ~mysteriously~ tied to our fiesty heroine? Check. A murderous aunt who so obviously wants all the power for herself ? Check. But these writers jumped into all of these beloved tropes with SUCH joy & aplomb that it was truly pleasurable to revisit them all again. The magic system was interesting & the plot moved at an excellent clip. Even though it’s hella predictable, I’m excited to see where we go next!

Sharanya Sharma

thank you to penguin teen for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

now that was… interesting. while the beginning of this new duology was promising, given the concept of the six main mythological houses and the somewhat endless types of boons, i kind of felt bored for most of it. it started off just 

with a lot of heavy handed world building. but once we get the hang of that, it delved straight into an insta-love (but wanna be enemies to lovers) story line.

while darling and talon have promise as characters, given their personal growth and the sheer chaos (pun intended) of all the events that go down in the last 50 pages or so. i just personally could not get behind their connection. it felt so surface level, one saw the other in paintings crafted by their (not-so mad) older brother. the other swore to always hate the dragons and then decides it’s all good after (1) week around a cute boy… idk. i’d personally feel the story and world-building would’ve been so much stronger had they gone into some of their hopeful matching as enemy turned friend rather than what we received. i think maybe it would’ve felt like the events happening around them would’ve had more weight than it did, since they spend the majority of the time pining after one another. (honestly, caspian and aunt aurora would’ve made better POVs).

but okay, enough about the lackluster romance and more about the disability rep… i feel off about it. i’m not blind (although i have terrible vision without my glasses). BUT i feel like darling’s disability wasn’t done in the best way per se. yes it makes it so she needs smoked-glass to see in the daytime. but other than brief mentions of her saying that she can only see silhouettes, it doesn’t really impact the story, her experience of the world around her. except when it’s used to her advantage, because she can see flawlessly in the dark. and lets not forget she can regenerate??? an interesting combo... i know others have mentioned that they’re worried the ending of the book hinting at her disability being essentially cured, and honestly, i’m worried too.

i don’t know if it’s a duology thing, but the pacing just felt off throughout the whole book. and while i won’t be calling this a new favorite fantasy, i can say i will be looking out for the sequel book. i do want to see where they take the storyline and i’m putting faith into these authors to do the rest of this storyline justice.

thank you to penguin teen for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

now that was… interesting. while the beginning of this new duology was promising, given the concept of the six main mythological houses and the somewhat endless types of boons, i kind of felt bored for most of it. it started off just so confusing with a lot of heavy handed world building. but once we get the hang of that, it delved straight into an insta-love (but wanna be enemies to lovers) story line.

while darling and talon have promise as characters, given their personal growth and the sheer chaos (pun intended) of all the events that go down in the last 50 pages or so. i just personally could not get behind their connection. it felt so surface level, one saw the other in paintings crafted by their (not-so mad) older brother. the other swore to always hate the dragons and then decides it’s all good after (1) week around a cute boy… idk. i’d personally feel the story and world-building would’ve been so much stronger had they gone into some of their hopeful matching as enemy turned friend rather than what we received. i think maybe it would’ve felt like the events happening around them would’ve had more weight than it did, since they spend the majority of the time pining after one another. (honestly, caspian and aunt aurora would’ve made better POVs).

but okay, enough about the lackluster romance and more about the disability rep… i feel off about it. i’m not blind (although i have terrible vision without my glasses). BUT i feel like darling’s disability wasn’t done in the best way per se. yes it makes it so she needs smoked-glass to see in the daytime. but other than brief mentions of her saying that she can only see silhouettes, it doesn’t really impact the story, her experience of the world around her. except when it’s used to her advantage, because she can see flawlessly in the dark. and lets not forget she can regenerate??? an interesting combo... i know others have mentioned that they’re worried the ending of the book hinting at her disability being essentially cured, and honestly, i’m worried too.

i don’t know if it’s a duology thing, but the pacing just felt off throughout the whole book. and while i won’t be calling this a new favorite fantasy, i can say i will be looking out for the sequel book. i do want to see where they take the storyline and i’m putting faith into these authors to do the rest of this storyline justice.

          Chaos and Flame is the start to a new YA fantasy series set in a world where some people are born with boons given by Chaos that give them special abilities. However, some boons, such as the High Prince Regnant's boon of prophecy are known cause a descent into madness. 

Although the book starts slow, the politics and histories of the houses (named after magical beasts such as the ruling house dragon and the fallen house Sphinx) are fascinating, and the ending has me excited for the next books. I loved the magic system and while we see two points of view, I was at the edge of my seat wondering if the Prince Regnant was loosing his wits or if he was in control of a master plan, manipulating everyone to get what he wants. 

I would definitely recommend Chaos and Flame to fans of courtly intrigue and enemies to lovers, and cannot wait to see where this series goes next! 

Minnie Mazuera

          Chaos and Flame is the start to a new YA fantasy series set in a world where some people are born with boons given by Chaos that give them special abilities. However, some boons, such as the High Prince Regnant's boon of prophecy are known cause a descent into madness. 

Although the book starts slow, the politics and histories of the houses (named after magical beasts such as the ruling house dragon and the fallen house Sphinx) are fascinating, and the ending has me excited for the next books. I loved the magic system and while we see two points of view, I was at the edge of my seat wondering if the Prince Regnant was loosing his wits or if he was in control of a master plan, manipulating everyone to get what he wants. 

I would definitely recommend Chaos and Flame to fans of courtly intrigue and enemies to lovers, and cannot wait to see where this series goes next! 

Chaos & Flame is really everything I didn’t think it would be in the best way possible lol. I thought this was going to be a typical, although good, YA romantic fantasy. But what I read was a fantasy expertly woven with so much court/political intrigue, a unique magic system, some action and of course a bit of romance as well.

This book started off with a very promising prologue that immediately had me hooked but some time after that, it did slow down for me a bit. However, by the end, I was so happy I stuck it out and made it to that cliffhanger 

. I literally can’t wait for the sequel!!

Warning, this does have a bit of insta-love vibes which I’m usually not a fan of, but also didn’t bother me too much.. mostly because I was very intrigue by Talon.. the love interest 👀. Also I did actually somehow see two of the twists coming but was still somehow shocked so it worked haha.

Overall, an excellent YA fantasy full of  unique magic, politics, enemies to lovers vibes, kingdom lore and magical creatures. I’m definitely picking up the next book when it releases!

Courtney Passio

WHAT A ENDING, phew.

Chaos & Flame is really everything I didn’t think it would be in the best way possible lol. I thought this was going to be a typical, although good, YA romantic fantasy. But what I read was a fantasy expertly woven with so much court/political intrigue, a unique magic system, some action and of course a bit of romance as well.

This book started off with a very promising prologue that immediately had me hooked but some time after that, it did slow down for me a bit. However, by the end, I was so happy I stuck it out and made it to that cliffhanger gasp. I literally can’t wait for the sequel!!

Warning, this does have a bit of insta-love vibes which I’m usually not a fan of, but also didn’t bother me too much.. mostly because I was very intrigue by Talon.. the love interest 👀. Also I did actually somehow see two of the twists coming but was still somehow shocked so it worked haha.

Overall, an excellent YA fantasy full of  unique magic, politics, enemies to lovers vibes, kingdom lore and magical creatures. I’m definitely picking up the next book when it releases!

Chaos & Flame

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