As a huge fan of Rosiee Thor, I knew I had to read Fire Becomes Her. Thor’s latest manages to combine political campaigning with a fantasy storyline. Its an action packed story about the cost of doing the right thing. If you love the idea of political schemes meets rebellion and love, this is for you! Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Flare is power.
With only a drop of flare, one can light the night sky with fireworks . . . or burn a building to the ground — and seventeen-year-old Ingrid Ellis wants her fair share.
Ingrid doesn’t have a family fortune, monetary or magical, but at least she has a plan: Rise to the top on the arm of Linden Holt, heir to a hefty political legacy and the largest fortune of flare in all of Candesce. Her only obstacle is Linden’s father who refuses to acknowledge her.
So when Senator Holt announces his run for president, Ingrid uses the situation to her advantage. She strikes a deal to spy on the senator’s opposition in exchange for his approval and the status she so desperately craves. But the longer Ingrid wears two masks, the more she questions where her true allegiances lie.
Will she stand with the Holts, or will she forge her own path?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Immediately the atmosphere of Fire Becomes Her, this jazzy underground clubs meets Prohibition style vibe, entranced me. Not only that, but Thor brings the class difference between Ingrid and Linden to the forefront. Ingrid’s entire character is formed by her desire to have stability and power. To realize that with power comes protection, but also knowing that part of it is her ambition. So when everything she ever wanted is in her grasp, Fire Becomes Her begins with her having to solidify her position.
But in order to do so, she must impress Linden’s father and this decision sets off an avalanche. Throughout Fire Becomes Her, everything Ingrid believed she wanted is come into question. Her loyalty, love, and passion for her future all come into fire. As readers, we can empathize with her flickering hope for the future. With her position on the campaign trail, she has the power to help secure a victory – but for whom?
As Fire Becomes Her progresses, Ingrid questions everything she knew. She is forced to process the differences in privilege. How the elite use the Flare, bathe their lives in, and has to wonder if she can truly leave behind her own past. We become so immersed in questing for power without truly asking ourselves not only if that is enough, but what we are willing to sacrifice for it. Is Ingrid ready to pay the cost to forget her past, change herself, and gain societal acceptance?
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)
Fire Becomes Her is an explosive book about privilege, ethics, and love. I loved the different story threads and the pacing of the book as the steam continues to build. Within Ingrid, can she reconcile these pieces of herself in time? When it’s difficult to do the right thing, it always matters most. And sometimes honesty is all we can do. Featuring found family and plenty of queer voices, Fire Becomes Her balances thoughtful themes and conversations with action.
Find Fire Becomes Her on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
Another beautiful cover! And sounds like a good story too. Thank you for sharing!