Back of Book: 

Whip-smart and immersive, this Jamaican-inspired fantasy follows a gods-blessed heroine who’s forced to choose between saving her sister or protecting her homeland.  

Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors.

When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.

As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives, as well as the fate of their world.

Book Number: One 

Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

A Jamaican inspired fantasy featuring two sisters who would tear the world apart to save one another.

Faron was chosen by the gods five years ago to save her island from the imperial Langley Empire who sought to take over her homeland and decimate her culture. Now, the gods still linger in her daily life, even during times of peace. Elara is Faron's older sister, but her people barely even know who she is. Craving attention, Elara tries to enroll in her island's military, only to be turned down. Stuck in her sister's shadow, Elara follows Faron to a prestigious international peace summit. While there, things take an unprecedented turn when Elara forms a bond with one of the people who only five years ago with their enemies. Now, the sisters are splitting for the first time in their lives, but that doesn't stop Faron from doing everything she can to bring her sister home.

This one started out a tad slow, but about halfway through the book I found myself quite invested in the plot. I wasn't a huge fan of either of the sisters right away, but they did manage to grow on me as the story progressed. I found many elements of this book to be quite predictable, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment too much.

The coolest thing about this one has to be the Jamaican inspired magic system and gods. I think it was neat how they could summon the spirits of their ancestors and how Faron could channel the gods. This system reminded me a bit of how Riordan sets up the Egyptian gods and magic in "The Kane Chronicles," though obviously they were also quite different. Throwing in classic dragons into a situation such as this was also really cool to see and felt like multiple different worlds were being blended together. The way that the dragons bonded with their riders reminded me a bit of "Eragon," so I felt very at home with many aspects of the magic that was happening in this world. It is unique that each dragon had two riders and the lore that went behind this decision was well conceived.

The themes about anti-colonialism and standing up for one's culture and homeland were strong in this one, and I very much appreciated this. I think it is great that we are seeing more authors using fantasy to inform readers about very real and often touchy subject matters. I like to see authors using their creative powers for the better.

I must say, my favorite character by far is Reeve. I relate to his love of reading (duh) and found his backstory to be extremely nuanced and complicated. I can't wait to get more of him and see how some of his issues are resolved in future installments of this series. Signey is also a pretty cool character, so I appreciate all the romantic arcs that happened in this book.

Overall, I didn't enjoy "So Let Them Burn" as much as I thought I would, but it was still a very enjoyable read. It is a unique, culturally fantasy which is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres. I am interested to see where Faron and Elara's journey takes them in the future installment of this series. I would totally recommend if you love your fantasies diverse due to the Jamaican roots and the LGBTQIA+ representation.

Back of Book: 

Perfect for fans of Raybearer and Fourth Wing, this astonishing sequel to the bestselling novel So Let Them Burn doesn't hold back. After all, there are no easy endings in war—especially when sisters are forced to fight on opposite sides.

Faron Vincent was once the saint of San Irie. Now, she’s done the unthinkable: betrayed her country. Alone, disgraced, and kidnapped, Faron is forced to help Iya grow his bloody empire. With her soul bonded to a ruthless killer, Faron has become an enemy to her people… and she fears they might be right.

Elara Vincent—the new Empyrean—must undo the damage her sister has caused. San Irie has been brought back to the brink of war as Iya proclaims no nation will be safe from his brutal invasion. But how can Elara save her sister, her best friend, her country, and her world when she’s already cracking under the pressure?

This heart-pounding conclusion to the Divine Traitors duology pushes these unforgettable heroines to their breaking point and beyond. Because when the lines between hero and villain are blurred, deadly sacrifices must be made.

Book Number: Two (Last Book) 

Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: Releases February 4th, 2025!