The premise of this one was definitely intriguing and reading it was fun. However I do feel that it was quite underwhelming.

Seeing representation and lots of diversity in this book did make me very happy.

This was an action packed book full of beautiful world building and language that brought not only the setting but the characters to life. The enemies to lovers trope was well written and the initial enemies conflict showed the promise of the trope from their first encounter. The magic of the narrative was intriguing and drew you into the world and left you wanting to know more. I really enjoyed the shape of the narrative and how as Darling learnt about the different houses so did the reader. The story held the readers attention and was full of mystery, intrigue and power, it was a brilliant start to a dramatic adventure filled fantasy!

I'm a sucker for kingdoms at war and multiple points of view in my fantasy. It has romance, ancient magic (also known as boons),prophecies, fantasy creatures and a fantastic cliffhanger.
I really enjoyed learning about the characters and trying to figure out motives of the multiple side characters we are introduced to. I liked how Talon and Darling are fiercely loyal to those they love and care about, but also are constantly trying to do the right thing. Caspian is one of my favorite characters with his eccentric personality. He is always keeping you on your toes. I would love to get scenes from his POV in the future.
I appreciated the diversity in this book, and it's nice to see this popping up more and more in fantasy.

Set in a fantasy world with a unique magical system and political intrigue, this first installment in a duology will leave you wanting more.

The story is written from the perspective of two young people on the opposite side of a war.
Darling Seabreak (I know, I hate the name too. You'll get used to it though, I promise) is the last living member of House Sphinx after House Dragon murdered her entire family. After spending a childhood in the sewers she has light sensitive eyes, but in the dark she has the advantage. After being rescued and taken in by House Kraken she's been trained to be a deadly weapon. After her adoptive father has been kidnapped she will stop at nothing to get him back and at the same time get revenge by killing the scions of House Dragon.

Talon Goldhoard is the second son of House of Dragon. When he was a boy his mother was assassinated by House Sphinx, which prompted his father to start a years-long war. Now his older brother Caspian sits on the throne and Talon leads the army, but his brother's erratic behaviour has made people start to question his fitness for the throne and Talon is under increasing pressure to take over. When he captures Darling, who looks exactly like the girl his brother has been obsessively drawing for years, he takes her to court where they get tangled up in politics and intrigue.

Despite the opening prologue, which completely hooked me, the story starts of relatively slow with quite a lot of exposition. Luckily, it clicks into place soon enough and this book really ended up positively surprising me with a killer of a cliffhanger that will leave readers gasping for the second installment.

The two main leads, Darling and Talon are far from the most fascinating characters in the story, but don't let that hold you back. They are best when together and despite their enemies-to-lovers set-up the chemistry is there from the word go. I personally prefer more slow burn, but the pacing of their romance does fit with a YA so it didn't bother me. I especially loved how soft Talon turned out to be for his loved ones.

By far the most fascinating character to me was Talon's older brother, Caspian. Since he was a young boy he's had visions of a girl he never met. His boon is painting and he paints her obsessively from a very young age.
You never read from Caspian's perspective, which means he has an air of mystery about him. You do get the sense that he might not be as mad and unhinged as people around him make him out to be, but since you never get a good sense of who he truly is we never know for sure. This makes him by far the most interesting character.

Despite having a little bit of trouble getting into Darling's and Talon's perspectives I ended up devouring this book and I absolutely can't wait for part 2!

3,75 stars.

Love, love, love this book.
If the reader is a Sarah J Maas fan or similar then this book is an absolute must to add to their TBR list.
The enemies to lovers storyline was really enjoyable and this book was devoured in a couple of evenings.
The only bad thing i have to say about it is this is the first book and there isn't a second one yet to read.
Really looking forward to the next book.

🔥 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 🔥

Chaos & Flame
Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland
Fantasy, YA
⭐️⭐️⭐️

The world building in this book was well done and I really liked the "boons", the magical abilites/powers. I hope they're explored more in the next book because I need to know about the ins and outs of them.

Although this book has dual POVs, I would've liked an extra one from Caspian's perspective too.

The pacing felt rushed at times and I wasn't keen on the insta-love aspect of the plot. That being said, on a whole, the plot was interesting.

The ending was ok, it was an abrupt cliffhanger but it was left in a good place for the next book to continue.

*Thank you to @Netgalley and the publishers for providing this ARC. This is my own opinion and an honest review, which I am leaving voluntarily*

This is right up my street. A new fantasy adventure, full of intrigue and politics, that was so captivating to read. I can't wait for Book 2.

This book is a good start to an exciting new YA fantasy. The world building was interesting and magic was unique! It was full of action, political intrigue and romance. After that ending, I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

Chaos & Flame is such a beautifully written YA fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out Chaos & Flame today.

I enjoyed this book so much! It was a slow starter for me. It took me a while to get into the story but, wow, when I did get into it I didn't want to put this book down! The plot definitely room the lead role in this book. The political back story is what kept me hooked the whole time (but we all know I'm a sucker for some fantasy politics)! The bad guy plot twist was a little predictable but the big plot twist at the very end had me SCREAMING! Next boom when?!
The characters were great too individually but I felt like the relationships between the characters could've been a bit better developed. One relationship I did really enjoy was the one between Talon and his brother and it was really interesting watching Talon try to figure out how to navigate their complicated dynamic. I've seen some other reviews mention that the romance was rushed and I agree to an extent. I do tend to give insta love a bit of a pass when I'm reading fantasy books that involve fate and prophecies etc. I did really enjoy the banter between Talon and Darling and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what their relationship will be like going into book two!
Overall I think this was a really well written introduction to the world and I'll be very excited to read the sequel when it comes out! I'm also looking forward to picking up other books from both these authors since I really enjoyed Chaos & Flame!

Overall, I enjoyed this novel and I am going to read the sequel because I am curious to see how it ends, but I was a bit disappointed in my expectations. I spent the first half of the book slightly confused by the world-building so it took me a while to get into the story and I am not a huge fan of the hate-to-insta-love between two of the main characters. I enjoyed the political intrigue and the twists in the second half of the book that made things more interesting and I found the cast of characters well-developed.

I loved this book and the world building! It was brilliantly done and the enemies to lovers was so gorgeous! I'm in love with the characters.

Chaos & Flame first caught my attention when I read the synopsis - 'ancient magic, different houses and prophecies' stood out to me and I knew I needed to read it. This is the first book in a new YA Fantasy duology and has romance, action and mystery.

The book starts with a slow pace, we are introduced to the world and meet Darling and Talon. With a dual POV, the world-building and plot evolve with each part (CHAOS, ENEMIES, ALLIES, FLAME). The tension builds as new revelations come to light and some jaw-dropping plot twists occur. I was intrigued by the 'prophetic' paintings, depicting a mysterious girl and when the girl's identity is revealed, a series of connections slowly fall into place and the final result is epic!!

Darling, Talon and Caspian make for interesting characters and each play such an important role.
I was gifted a proof copy of this book and even though it's not the final version, there are so many amazing quotes. I can't wait for the book to be published and tab all of my favourite quotes.

- Political intrigue
- Plot twists
- Different houses/sections
- Magic
- Cliffhanger
- Romance
- Secrets

Fans of The Bridge Kingdom series or Throne of Glass will enjoy this book.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House SA and Netgalley for gifting me this book.

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Talon Goldhoard, War Prince of House Dragon, has known nothing except war since he was a young boy. Participating in a war his father started and his brother, now High Prince Regent, continues. For Talon, what’s important is protecting his family, especially his brother from those who wish to dethrone him, seeing Caspian as unstable and unpredictable.

Darling Seabreak is the last of House Sphinx. After being adopted by House Kraken, she’s devoted her life to fighting back against House Dragon. When her adoptive father is kidnapped, she vows to do what she must to retrieve him, especially when she herself is kidnapped by Talon and taken to Caspian.

The second Talon sees Darling, it’s impossible not to recognise her as the girl from his brother’s obsessive paintings over the years. But what is their connection, and how much does Caspian actually know about what has happened, and what is to come? And when opportunity strikes to take revenge and free her adoptive father, can Darling do what needs to be done?

Wow, just wow. I went into this unsure really of what to expect as I haven’t read anything by either author before, but this had everything I love. From magic (called boons), enemies-to-lovers romance, to political intrigue between the houses. The prologue really draws you in, giving a brief look into the workings of Caspian’s mind and his magic, before completely changing that view using the perspectives of Talon and Darling’s dual POV’s and alternating chapters. Even when you think you know what Caspian is going to do, you really don’t, he’s such an unpredictable character but in a really good way, and this is what makes the ending so surprising.

The pacing is fast and doesn’t really let up, and due to this it had me finishing the book in no time, already eager for the next book, especially after the ending. There were a few moments that felt a little too rushed, but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment. I do wish there had been a little more in terms of the book’s length as there was so much going on I felt like certain areas needed more pages devoted to them, but as it’s YA it’s understandable that it wasn’t longer.

I honestly can’t wait for the next book, and Chaos and Flame is easily in what is becoming a long list of favourite reads this year. I even bought the physical book for my shelves, and I can’t wait for more people to read it.

Did I like the book? Yes

Did I love it? Yes! The characters, the magic, the lore. All of it.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. If you liked Red Queen, or are a fan of true enemies-to-lovers, magic, and warring houses, you’ll love this too.

contains spoilers! I’ve read and enjoyed Justina’s work before so came in with high expectations, and they were surpassed by this thrilling fantasy read! It’s a world of warring houses, battles and spies, and courtly intrigue - and whilst this is not exactly new ground for fantasy it was an absolute joy to read and I absolutely raced through it. The romantic element was expertly handled, just the right amount of angst and dithering before they finally get together, and nothing beats an enemies-to-lovers arc!

Thank you to @penguinbookssouthafrica and @netgalley for this #gifted review copy.

Chaos & Flame has a fairly slow pace, especially at the beginning, but honestly it is worth it to stick it out. Things really pick up in the second half of the book and the ending just kind of blows up everything. It leaves you hanging and saying out loud, “There had better be a sequel”, in the best way possible.

I really adore a female warrior who has no time for frippery or talking around in circles for the sake of propriety and society. Therefore I obviously loved Darling Seabreak.

Talon is the kind of cinnamon roll that we all love to ship with our grumpy heroine.
Caspian is absolutely infuriating and frequently reminded me of Sheldon Cooper - he knows too much, except how to deal with people.

I cannot wait for the sequel, and hopefully Finn will get on board and be besties with Darling.

Wow, I binged this book so quickly!

Following dual points of view, we are introduced to Darling who had been prophesized by a mad king to be saved by his brother Talon. They are introduced in the worst way during a fight, and as they get to know each other, they become closer. I loved Darling's character, and the prince. Talon was also interesting, but I thought the romance moved too fast.

The plot was very thrilling. It's got court politics and murder and mayhem. I enjoyed the magic system and the different dragon houses. The writing was amazing, and didn't feel like it was stunted, as it happens with books written by 2 authors. The ending was quite unexpected, and I really want to read the next book! The worldbuilding was so great, and it was easy to understand after the first 15%. Overall, a fun read that lept me intrigued with fierce, memorable characters!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc!

CHAOS AND FLAME is a series starter full of magic, mythical beasts and a drawn out war for dominance.

There is a real sense of not knowing exactly how much of the various stories (the war, the fact the beasts themselves are missing even if the houses are named after them) are true. Someone will certainly know the truth, but the question is whether the reader know that - and there are one too many discrepancies for me to trust that I was told everything (like the characters.)

The book alternates between two narrators - Darling and Talon. They are first person present and, based on the fact they sounded different (and this is the narrative style I think is hardest to make different) I suspect the authors wrote different characters.

My favourite character, however, was Caspian, Talon's older brother. I could never quite be sure how much of his behaviour was calculated to give the impression of madness (and thus keep his enemies off balance and in the dark) and how much was his visions twisting his reality. It was a very fun character dynamic, the unpredictable ruler with one foot in another world.

The book ends on a cliff-hanger that sets up some promising second book elements.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

Darling and Talon are different characters but they felt rather samey. At times, I had to remind myself whose POV I was reading in because there was little substance to both of them that it was hard to differentiate them. Both have some fire in them and both have vulnerabilities. I just wanted more contrast between them, more fight - they’re meant to be enemies and yet I didn’t get much of a sense of that. The sudden romance between them felt very off kilter, making me more disinterested in the characters. The only character I had a liking towards was Caspian. He seemed to be the only fleshed out character in the entire story!

I have many thoughts about this book but the one at the forefront is: I was incredibly underwhelmed. The plot seemed all over the place and hard to follow, ruining any semblance of flow that was attempted. I felt such an extreme disconnect to the characters and their story that I would zone out and have to re-read paragraphs to work out where I was. But even then, there was just constant confusion throughout for me. The idea of the magic system has great promise, the idea that there is something in everyone and they all have different impacts has great promise, but it was just not executed for me. Be it because this story is written by two authors, I don’t know, but there is just nothing clicking and the characters feel very one-dimensional. In hindsight, I would have been better DNFing this one but I was desperately hoping that it would get better and start flowing more - that perhaps the ending would help redeem it for me. Sadly this was not the case.

Overall, Chaos & Flame is a book I was so excited for but has unfortunately let me down.

⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

I unfortunately DNF'd this book at around 25%. I'm not a huge lover of insta love or attraction, which was featured in this book. I also felt like the pacing was off, the events seemingly moving at a breakneck pace, whilst also feeling like the story was lagging somehow.