I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait for it to appear in the school library so I can read it to the children in my class, they will love it.

Ember has watched the firebirds arrive and leave her harbour home of Bright Beacon almost her whole life, and her dream is to one day fly with them. Each year the flame chasers await the dragons appearance on the horizon so they can chase them and hopefully find one of their discarded feathers to wish on.

When Ember finally thinks she is ready to accompany her flame chaser father on his journey he disagrees, leaving without her. When the firebirds arrive the following year there is a new ship in the harbour, one of its crew has caused panic amongst the resting birds, and before she knows what's happening Ember is on her own flame chase.

This is a beautiful book. It starts a little slowly but once Ember boards her new friends' boat the story really takes off and is full of excitement and surprises. The storyline covers topics such as the importance of family, respect for the environment, and the power of trust. There were parts of the story which were unexpected or sad, but never out of place and I thoroughly enjoyed this.

I was able to read a copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Firefly Press, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a lovely book. Recommended.

I love this book; everything about it, from the premise to the characters, is perfect. I felt like I was soaring along with the Flamebirds while reading it. The heartfelt phrases about wishes and hopes in it occasionally cause me to cry.⠀
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Despite the numerous hurdles, Ember, Stan, and Aggie's journey to bring Cinderling home was thrilling. The magical element is also quite distinct. I loved how Ember remained persistent in her goal to find her father despite being told it was impossible. I was initially angered by Anggie's belief that a wish would kill you, but that annoyance faded when I discovered about her past. Stan, who dislikes school, regularly makes me giggle with his foolish wishes.⠀
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They taught me that when we set goals, we must remain hopeful and determined to achieve them, even when faced with obstacles that make us want to give up. And how important it is for someone to have a wish so that they can survive ❤️

Flame Chasers
By Julie Pike
Published by Firefly Press Ltd

Who has ever heard of a flame chaser?
Well Ember has and that is her dream, to fly high with the golden flamebirds.
Every year they stop at Bright Beacon before heading to their mysterious homeland. But Ember has too much knowledge and is too inquisitive to let her dream die.

So when her Pa goes missing at sea, never returning after a chase, Ember tries to put her dream into action. With her sights on a chase to both discover and to solve, she is faced with an adventure full of challenges.

Julie Pike writes with heart and energy, taking you on a magical adventure.
Her characterisation of Ember is full of love, determination and true grit. All Ember wants is her Pa home, the lost cinderling reunited with her family and the spare magic safe.

A fabulous middle grade read, for pupils, teachers and classrooms. Who wouldn’t want to ride sky high with the flamebirds? Especially when none knows where they live!

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgalley

Absolutely loved this book, so much so that I've now bought her first book to read too. Fabulous adventure story with themes of family, friendship and hope with a sprinkle of magic. Children will love all of the action and the interesting characters.

5/5 for younger readers, 4/5 for grownups.
Ember wants to be a flame chaser more than anything in life. Will she be able to fulfil her dreams after her father forbids her to be a flame chaser (join him)?
Ember and her friends are relatable, nice, resourceful and display agency and determination.
The worldbuilding is fast-paced and integrated into the story, which deserves special thanks.
The themes in this book are wonderful for younger readers.
Overall, a 4.5 star read for everyone. Great fantasy.

Flame chasers is an excellent escape from reality, reminding me of Katharine Rundell's recent book Impossible Creatures. With elements of adventure, action, magic and fantasy this book has lots in it for everyone. Not to mention, the characters are so well constructed I was enamored by them and eager to follow their journey, almost forgetting it was a book rather than a film.

Vivid description, interesting concept mad just some fresh and fantastic!

Thank you for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the magical story of Ember, whose dream of following the flamebirds on their journey as they pass over her town is dashed when her father announces that he will be participating in the chase this year without her.

The tail feathers of the birds are greatly valued because it is believed that they can grant wishes, and that is is one of the main incentives that draws the flame chasers out every year in pursuit of the birds.

But Ember is not ready to give up so easily. Surely there must be a way for her to find *someone* who will assist in her quest?

This is an epic adventure story that will have wide appeal for most readers. With a memorable protagonist and some excellent world building, Pike has delivered a marvelous piece of storytelling. It gets 3.5 stars.

This was amazing! Ember is desperate to be a Flame Chaser and wants to go with her father. He forbids it and the left over magic stops her going. She is brave, determined and resourceful and, with new friends, she sets off anyway. She has many adventures and learns truths she had never even considered before.
Thus book is definitely about hope and resilience, family and love. It's such a brilliant story, full of magic and adventure.

All Ember ever wanted to do was to fly home with the flame birds that come to Bright Beacon every year. So when she finds out she can’t join her father to go flame chasing , she’s devastated. Until a year later, she goes with Stanley and his mam.

What follows is a great adventure as they seek for the flame birds. A really cool fact about these birds is that they can fly a lot faster than any other bird. I’d love to see one because they look amazing.
Captain Aggie always had a trick up her sleeve when they got into trouble. I also love the sea and sailing but I wouldn’t have liked to be on that boat because they encountered choppy seas and whirlpools.
It was so addictive that I read it in two school days. I highly recommend for anyone who loves adventure, fantasy and magical creatures.

Ella, 11 years old.

We join the story as the excitement builds towards the Flamebird Festival. Ember has always dreamed of joining her father (Pa) on board his ship, Happy Heart, for a flame chase: a quest to follow the flamebirds to their legendary home to find a wish-granting feather. When Ember is left on dry land again by her father, her disappointment is huge but it is soon eclipsed by his mysterious disappearance.

With the arrival of Stanley and his mother, Aggie, on board Sea Quest, the timing seems impeccable. But it seems they have not come to flame chase after all & instead Stanley is to be enrolled in school against his wishes. Just as all hope begins to fade, ‘Hope’ arrives in an unexpected package and the chase is on!

An eclectic cast of characters bolster the entertainment. Ember, our lead, is as fiery as her name suggests but also steely and loyal. Captain Aggie and Stanley are navigating stormy waters in more than one sense. There is a brilliant turn by a villainous rogue to offset all the healing and hope and to well and truly throw the cat among the …flamebirds.

A pacy, fun adventure. Just as you think you have its measure, there are twists and turns in its tailfeathers, which bring more meaning and depth to the story.

This is a fast-paced adventure story that will grip you right from the beginning. I love how Ember never loses her hope in finding her father again after he is declared lost at sea and how she is so kind and loving .

This is definitely a great book for KS2 students.

An absolutely wonderful quest story based in a fantasy world. The characters are well wrought with emotions being finely tuned. The narrative arc is a strong one and would definitely make for an excellent class read in upper KS2 and perhaps lower KS3. Even though the story is told through Ember's female perspective a strong male child protagonist makes this an enjoyable story for all younger readers.
I can't wait to get some copies for our library as I can already see which of my students will enjoy it.
A very strong recommendation from me.

Flame Chasers is a marvellously magical, mesmerising adventure with family, friendship and home at its heart – an unforgettable quest that completely captured me as I ventured with a courageous team across uncharted waters to find their heart’s desire.

Once a year, the flamebirds arrive in Bright Beacon to rest before continuing their journey home. These wondrous, magical birds hold the power to grant a heart’s wish through the wish-magic in their tail feathers. If a tail feather is found, or taken, then the holder can have a wish come true.

Ember is feeling excited at the prospect of sailing with her father and joining the flame chase to race across the sea with the hope of finding these majestic creatures’ home, and perhaps even a magical tail feather. Her heart’s desire is to join the flame chase, so she is heartbroken to discover that her father is leaving her behind and joining the chase alone. He is convinced the race will be too dangerous for her to take part and will not risk her safety.

When her father’s boat is found wrecked in the Westward Seas, Ember is determined to become part of the flame chase in order to find both the home of the flamebirds and her father. But her father has made the captains promise not to take his daughter on this perilous journey. Worrying that her hopes are to be dashed once again, Ember is relieved when she sees a new boat, the Sea Quest. She soon meets Stanley and his mother, Agatha. Whilst Stanly is eager to take part in the flame chase, his mum has forbidden it. But the children find themselves in circumstances where they need to take part in the flame chase and Aggie reluctantly agrees they can all sail together.

So begins the most fantastic, action-packed, thrilling adventure as the three sail through uncharted waters following a path towards the mysterious home of the flamebirds, a home which they have kept hidden from humans. There is plenty of danger for this daring trio as they face perilous waters, and so much more, on their race to save those they love before it is too late. I absolutely loved the twists and turns, secrets and jaw-dropping revelations that made this a riveting read that I absolutely could not put down. Will Ember find her father or will the sea keep what it has taken? Is it possible to find the secret home of the flamebirds to keep hope alive?

As with Julie’s first adventure, The Last Spell Breather, I absolutely loved the magic system in this story which blended wish-magic with leftover magic linked to the feathers of the flamebirds in a fascinating way: magic which could prove both helpful and dangerous – and which has a sting in its tail!

There is also an important conservation message in the chasing/hunting of creatures for something people desire – in this case, the feathers of the flamebirds. Whilst some only wish to find a feather which has dropped from the tail of the birds, others are prepared to exploit these magical creatures no matter the cost. I loved that the flamebirds are keenly aware of the need to protect their home, and each other, from exploitation and harm.

I adored both Ember and Stanley who show incredible courage and determination when faced with great danger and difficult decisions. Ember has the capacity for great love and has such a kind, empathetic heart. She is prepared to take risks for those she loves and never gives up hope. Stanley’s desire to make his heart’s wish come true makes him do something which he knows he shouldn’t, but this fallability makes him more likeable as he strives to put right what he has done. I also really liked Aggie, Stanley’s mum, who so clearly loves her son and wants to protect him, but has the courage to let him become part of the flame chase even when this frightens her.

This is a spectacular, stunning story that that is sure to captivate young adventurers of 9+ seeking an enchanting, engrossing, electrifying read.