I would struggle to be able to review this book due to issues with the file/download. The issues stopped the flow of the book. The issues are:
- Missing words in the middle of sentences
- Stop/start sentences on different lines
- No clear definition of chapters.

I’m not sure if it was a file/download issue but there were lots of gaps and stops/starts which ruined the flow. I would love the chance to read a better version as the description of the book appeals to me. the word/phrase "N29" appears throughout the book including mid-sentence.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc. So let them burn was a title I was excited to read after seeing the premise. Learning about the battle between San Irie and Langley set up an interesting foundation that was unfortunately let down by the info dump that left me confused. Also dragons, who can go wrong with dragons and their riders in a story.
I had some trouble with Faron, she’s meant to be a 17 year old but she comes across as a child who thinks she can get away with anything she does. Her sister Elat’s on the other hand had a more likeable personality. The sister who has to stick to the rules and live up to Farons troublemaking whilst also finding herself.
All in all this book had the makings to be great but the writing just lacked the detail and depth I so hoped for

"So Let Them Burn" is the first chapter of "Divine Traitors," a ya fantasy duology written by Kamilah Cole and currently in progress.

What a beautiful debut! Compelling, intriguing, and enthralling, it captured me right away! I was captivated by complex world building, intricate story, and tormented characters. The evocative writing, the vivid descriptions, the fast pace and the presence of short chapters carried me through the pages, making me reach the end without almost realizing it! I admit that I felt some flaws, such as a general rushing and some rather nebulous elements, but overall I really enjoyed it a lot!

The world building inspired by Jamaican mythology intrigued me! The story initially takes place on San Irie, an island passed from one empire's control to another. An island despoiled of its wealth, resources, culture and identity, transformed into a hodgepodge of traditions, styles and whatnot over time. An island currently independent after decades of brutal war against the Langley Empire, the last of the empires to have conquered it. An island that has been at peace for five years, still recovering from the horrors and devastation of the conflict. I found the idea of showing the aftermath of the war, its consequences on the people and the land, particularly interesting. So did I like the critique expressed about colonialism and imperialism. The magic system then is very fascinating! The citizens of San Irie are able to summon ancestral spirits (the spirits of their deceased relatives, usually the more recent ones), merging with them to use certain powers. It is an elaborate system with varied implications, which I loved! And what about the Langley Empire with the fire-breathing dragons, able to form a bond with their dragon riders, giving them powers? I was absorbed by everything, but I admit I felt numerous gaps. Many things are not explained, only hinted at or taken for granted, and on more than one occasion I found myself puzzled and full of unanswered questions. Overall, however, it is world building that I loved, and hope for more depth in the sequel!

As mentioned above, the story, in my opinion, feels rushed and chaotic at times, with some situations dealt with hastily, too easily, and with little explanations. That said, I still found it engaging, so much so that I had difficulty pulling myself away from the pages!

Faron and Elara, protagonists with their respective third person povs, won me over! Faron and Elara are sisters, born and raised in a small town in San Irie and ended up in the war as teenagers. Faron is seventeen years old, the youngest sister and the Childe Empyrean, or the chosen one by the gods. Unlike all other San Irie summoners, who are able to draw on a limited number of ancestral spirits, she is able to summon the gods, speak to them and channel their infinite powers. She received the title during the war against the Langley Empire at the age of twelve, leading San Irie to victory. Faron is a symbol, a legend, adored and revered everywhere in San Irie, feared outside the island. A role filled with responsibility, with expectations, that is tremendously tight for her. She pretends to be perfect during official events, but in reality she is a stubborn, proud, impulsive, sarcastic and rebellious girl. And above all, a very good and incorrigible liar. I loved Faron, of the two sisters she is my favorite! Faron is complicated, tormented and oppressed, marked by a war in which she was too young to fight, by enormous responsibilities she did not ask for, and by the knowledge that she is an instrument in the hands of the gods. Beneath her bravado, beneath her biting jokes, she hides a sensitive and fragile soul. She loves her family, and in particular her sister, for whom she would do anything. Elara, on the other hand, is eighteen years old, the older sister and a selfless, loyal, kind, responsible and caring girl. A simple summoner, she threw herself into combat at the age of thirteen to follow and protect her sister, who secretly escaped. Unprepared for the horrors of war, she was forced to grow up quickly, changing profoundly. Elara loves her sister intensely, would do anything for her, but at the same time feels useless, insignificant, crushed by her fame. She longs to do something important, follow her own path, be seen and recognized for her abilities. I loved their intense sisterly bond, really wonderful and emotional! Without making spoilers, I enjoyed both of their paths, although Elara's, in several ways, seemed overly quick.

The secondary characters convinced me and I especially loved Reeve! In addition I loved the romance of both sisters, present yes, but marginal to the plot. As for Elara, like her whole story in general, unfortunately I found it rather rushed, although very cute. On the contrary, Faron's absorbed me completely!

All in all, I found it an excellent debut and can't wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Five. Star. Read. What a story! Kamilah Cole is going to quickly become a must-read author for everyone I can tell! Such an amazing epic story with sisterhood, found families, the aftermath of war, rebuilding a society, weighty responsibilities from young aged, multiple romances, a dreamy setting, gods, dragons. All of that and a cliffhanger that immediately leaves you needing more now! I loved it! My review will be posted on 30th December to my Bookstagram @rosesmagicalreads

If you want a good dragon novel, you should make this your next read. Kamilah Cole is a fantastic writer.

I enjoyed reading So Let Them Burn, and I think a strength of the novel is Cole's explorations of themes such as war, colonialism, and what it means to be the chosen one. I enjoy novels about the "chosen one" and what happens to them when they've met the purpose they were originally intended for (or not, in cases such as The Final Strife, which is also an excellent book and you must read it). How do they go back to normal civilian life after? Can they? Would they want to? Do these questions allow for a simple yes/no answer? Cole explores all this, as well as demonstrating and presenting a discussion that war is never truly over - the impact will continually be felt and will influence the decisions people make.

I love the sister relationship between Faron and Elara. I loved their devotion to each other. I also loved how Cole allowed space to explore their relationship with depth. While these two characters love each other incredibly, they both have things to work through with each other, such as Elara feeling as if she's always a footnote to Faron's story whereas she wants to be seen as her own person. Yet, Cole makes it clear that having these feelings does not negate their love for each other. It's real and complicated and messy and they love each other through it, and I loved that.

I think Faron and Elara both had really amazing character arcs, which I'm reluctant to talk about fully as I don't want to spoil. I just found it interesting how their arcs seemed to be mimic each other, yet set them on opposite sides despite their desires ultimately being the same. It really tested the boundaries of how far you'd go for the ones you love. With both of them there was a lot of discussion and representing on how a hero can rise, but also how easily a hero can fall.

I think people will see Faron as more of a 'difficult' character because she can be mean, and she can be selfish, and she likes to lie and will do it often. She will often rush ahead and do things without talking to others. She believes herself be to be right. But you know what - I loved her and I didn't find her annoying at all. I felt deeply for her and all that she had been through at such a young age, and how that has impacted her psyche. I like that she was held up as a Saint yet inside struggled with very human emotions. That she was still a teenager despite being revered as something above.

This was definitely a book about identity - who are we as individuals, and who are we as a collective. Who do we want to be? How will we be remembered? How do we want to remembered? Does being remembered as individuals matter as long as the impact from our actions live on? Is it enough to do things without doing it for reward? Are we who people think we are? How has the war had an impact? These are all questions explored and weaved throughout the narrative.

I think the worldbuilding was fantastic and interesting. I really enjoyed the setting of the dragon academy, and hope we get to see more. I did sometimes find myself a bit baffled by the geography and the distance of things (a map doesn't help) but overall I think it was pretty solid.

The magic system was amazing and unique. I loved how it showed how people can get strength and courage from their ancestors, and that they live on in us.

I think the discussion and exploration of the impact of colonialism and imperialism was all very relevant, and at times made this difficult to read as it so clearly reflected issues going on in the world with the genocide Israel is committing against the Palestinian people. But this isn't a conversation to shy away from, it is heavy in our history and in our present.

I'm really interested to see where the story goes after that ending! I did see the ending coming, it was predictable (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and I think the stakes are certainly raised. It'll be interesting to see how Faron and Elara navigate each other also, as each of them have a different understanding on the world around them due to what they've found out, and I wonder how they'll navigate that.

This book has several interesting tropes, and also elements of fantasy that has been seen a lot, but the author gives it a different touch by inviting us to a world that is most heartbreaking at certain moments.

In So Let Them Burn we meet two sisters who clearly have nothing going the way they want, who must make very complex decisions that impact each other's lives; There are dragons, chosen ones, and many other more than interesting condiments that are added to this story.

I can't say that I devoured it because the truth is that it took me a long time to read it, but it's not because this book is dense to read, not at all, but rather because my life at this time of year is quite chaotic. I like that the book goes from one sister to the other, allowing us to know the whole picture.

Dragons are quite fashionable lately and the author has been able to take advantage of this. I like it!

Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Really strong YA fantasy, amazing characters that I fell in love with and was really devoted to. I always love dragons in a story and this was so well done it was like art.
Definitely recommend!!

I loved this from start to finish!! The world building was so intricate and it wove perfectly into the fast paced plot that Kamilah Cole set out for us.

I loved the sister relationship between Faron and Elara because even though they are in a fantasy world, their relationship is so realistic to what people would have in real life. I love following their two POVs and seeing what adventures each sister got caught up in. I related to Elara as being an older sister myself and I loved her POV the most, especially because of the dragons!

I loved everything about this and I can’t wait to read more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc of this book

A stunning debut filled with dragons, characters you will love and a plot that did not let me catch my breath for even a moment.

Book Review 📚
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole - 4/5 ⭐

This book contains everything. And I mean everything. Magic? Yes. Dragons? Yes? Romance? Yes. Humour? Also, yes! It's such a diverse and thoroughly enjoyable book to read.

Faron and Elara are the best kind of siblings. Their relationship was thought of incredibly well and works in every aspect you could think of. I loved watching them both grow as the book went on.

The writing! My goodness. Such in depth descriptions and detail Throughout, it was truly a magical piece of work. There's enough to keep you gripped but not so much that you fry your brain.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown book group for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

Riding off the high left by Iron Flame, I picked up ‘So let them burn’ thanks to the ARC from Little Brown Books - it was a good read, more YA than expected, but still a cool concept. It comes as a planned duet series, so it ends in a cliffhanger, but it’s a predictable one, so it doesn’t hurt too much.
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Even though I liked the plot, I feel like it’s a bit underwhelming and it could have benefitted from more development - the start is quite slow and it feels like you’re missing out on some details throughout the book. For example, we only get a glimpse of Elara’s time at the academy and there isn’t much bonding with the den, which feels off at the end when she gets support from everyone she interacted with? I also felt like Elara and Reeve carried the whole plot, Faron spends most of her time doing nothing (apart from communicating with the gods, she does nothing until you’re 60% in). The cover is super beautiful, but I don’t think it summarises the plot, as it’s a dual POV and the focus on Faron feels very forced.
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All in all, it’s a quick read and good for a debut, I’m sure we’ll see more books from Kamilah and hopefully the 2nd volume will feel like an improvement.

What stood out to me:
The dragons and the drakes, the sisters the parallels and the story telling

My thoughts:
This book made me giddy, mad and happy all at the same time. It is filled with so much love and friendship, so much magic and creativity, so much taken from reality and fantasy. It was such a great read! I would highly recommend to anyone and everyone. The sisterly bonds and parallels made this book great from start to finish, I could not put it down it was soooooo good.

Summary:
Faron Vincent harnessed godly power to free her island from the Langley Empire. Now, at seventeen, she faces unexpected challenges and choices as international tensions escalate.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Dragons, diversity, magic, humour, romance, SO LET THEM BURN has EVERYTHING. I’ve been following Kammlagen for years and to see this book become a reality is AMAZING but it’s actually brilliant. I love Faron and Elara and the genuine sibling relationship the “we’re the bane of each others existence but only we get to hurt each other and I would did before I let them die so buckle up for a beating” they have. Both scarred by the war of independence the fought as children, Faron with the incredible burden of being the gods’ chosen one and Elara with being the sister of the Childe Empyrean constantly frustrated with being in her sister’s long shadow both have to reckon with the past when a peace summit brings an old foe back into their lives and everything is irrevocably changed in an instant. Desperate to free Elara from Langlish control, Faron will do anything as Elara spies for San Irie and both become entangled in a plot that will destroy the world.

I loved the way the story challenged the preconceptions of the characters, the way Faron had to get out of her own arrogant way and the way her relationship with Reeve changed and grew just as Elara does with the prickly Signet on the other side of the ocean.

It’s masterfully crafted and I’m incredibly keen for the next book to see how the ending, which will take dragon claws to your heart, spins out.

I really wanted to enjoy this but I couldn't get into it at all.
I found it really hard to read and felt like I was skipping over parts to get to "good bits".

So Let Them Burn is an amazing debut! As a Black reader, I was so happy to see the representation and I love seeing a Black girl as the chosen one. This is definitely the best dragon book I’ve read in years. I would recommend this for fans of Legendborn and Iron Widow.

🐉 Complex sibling dynamics
🐉 Queer representation (sapphic & demisexual)
🐉 Chosen one
🐉 Jamaican-inspired world
🐉 Dragons and adventure
🐉 The coolest dragons

Thank you to Little Brown Books and Netgalley! 5 stars, Kamilah Cole is a great debut author and I hope this book gets the hype it deserves.

A good concept with interesting world building, political intrigue, sapphic elements and a strong Jamaican flavour. The fantasy elements are maybe not wholly original but work familiar themes well and anything with dragons in is a winner for me! The relationships between the characters are central to the narrative and they are engaging but I am not sure they always convince even tho I want them to. Overall I enjoyed reading this - as a debut novel it provided enough to want to give the next title a go. And there is nothing like a cliff-hanger ending to lure you back. Another comment - the cover could have been so much better to entice readers to a new author!

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group, and Netgalley for this e-arc!!

Review: 4.25 Stars

- dual pov (two sisters)
- Complex characters
- Post revolution setting
- Dragons with personalities
- Sapphic rep
- Jamaican inspired fantasy!!

This is an absolute masterpiece; Cole’s ability to seamlessly blend the past and the present is remarkable. I was never confused when Faron or Elara was thinking about the war, and their memories never overpowered the present. The uniqueness of the plot was amazing, as this is set five years after San Iris’s war for independence, and instead focuses a plot to undermine this newfound peace.

Every character is so well written - Elara, the older sister, who’s caught between her loyalty to her country and a need to define herself. Reeve’s sense of being unmoored from his homeland and unable to settle in San Irie.

Finally, Faron. I felt for her so much. You can really tell how tired she is, and how lost she was throughout this book. It’s an incredible twist on the ‘chosen one’ trope; Faron has already experienced being a saintly figure as a child, yet she is not free from the burden. I thought it was so interesting to read about the aftermath of becoming saint, especially as Faron struggles to find her own identity amidst the legend created about her.

There’s such an interesting insight into the process of decolonisation through the lens of a fantasy book. The book is set after a war for independence, which strongly reminded me of the Haitian Revolution, yet San Irie still has to fight for its right for self determination. There’s a huge amount of thought put into this book, especially with the complexity of its history.

Ultimately, this book boils down to a question of trust for these main characters; which version of a story holds the truth, and can the person telling it be trusted?

Publish Date UK: 16th Jan 2024
Review posted: 2nd Jan 2024

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'So Let Them Burn' by Kamilah Cole.

'So Let Them Burn' is a stunning fantasy rooted in sisterhood and love. This is Kamilah Cole's first novel and she has such a high potential, I'm excited to see where the next book in this goes. If you enjoy books that feature chosen ones, you'll definitely sink your teeth into this one.

A good concept.

*Sighs* where does one begin on a book that had such a promising premise but rather 1 dimensional and annoying characters?
Hmm. I shall start with the positives:

The world was very interesting. The conflict between San Irie and the Langlish Empire was flashed out well and it is always great to read anti-colonialist books. The dragon-bonding with two riders was an interesting idea and it was well developed.

Thats it. Now, onto my problems.

The writing itself is very close to fanfiction. Now, theres nothing wrong with that in itself but it made the book in certain areas sound quite ridiculus and the deus ex machina was so ingrained in the story, I was never worried fot the characters. I mean… what villaon would also let literal kids go visit some high-security prisoner??? And don't get me even started on the other villain, who is very very very much trying to convince you he is a good guy, but fails spectacularly the moment he opens his mouth. The outcome of everything is super obvious and everything is spoon-fed and chewed for you before you could start eating.

Also find it hardly believable, even with divine powers that a 12 yrs old child can take down an empire by herself who conquered half the globe. But even so, I would have actually liked to see THAT, the actual war what happened 4 years ago (?) and the immediate consequences because this book barely had a plot, just random string of events woven together by what the author thought would be fun. Meaningless speaches, wanderinv arounds, trying new powers for the pure sake of it.... meanwhile we get the barttiest, most dislikeable FMC I have ever seen: Faron.

Faron is the chosen one. And has all the arrogance of q Mary Sue you can imagine, and fiercely says she hates being the chosen one unless of course it is convenient for her. Like her excuses to do anything she likes. Lie herself out of everything. But as soon as she is told to act like an adult, and make some difficult choices, she acts just as bratty as before and refuses. The story tries very hard to make you believe there are consequences for her actions, but it is undermind by the thinner than my remaining hair regret showed by Faron by the end of it all. She doesn't care, she never did, so why should I?
Honestly, I couldn't believe she was 17 because from the beginning of the book, I thought her about 9-10, explaining her mental age.

Reeve and Elara were the highlight if the book, they actually posessed some seeds of heroism and liekability. Sadly, this was ubdermined by very poorly written villains who also act like 13yrs olds and just let the characters do as they please, therefore not providing any tension whatsoever.

Overall, I didn't really enjoy the book but if you liked Fourt Wing, you will like this one too.

I love a good book about what happens to a hero after they've saved the day, and gone home to pick up their life. And in So Let Them Burn, that's exactly what has happened to Faron. As a child she saved her people with the power of the Gods, and now there is a new threat that she will need to match ... But it isn't what she expects.

Dragons and a captivating magic system - just what every good fantasy needs. This book delivers effortlessly and gripped me right from the start!

Just as a side note, that cover really doesn't fit with the story at all! What I read was completely different to what I was expecting based on that cover, and from the cover alone I probably wouldn't have picked up this book. Which would have been a shame because I really loved it!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review