As a reader who wants to get back into reading some more fantasy novels again, Idolfire seemed like a good choice - a sapphic road-trip, taking inspiration from the fall of Rome.
It’s a story which heavily focuses on the journey, more-so that the destination. The Sapphic romance between the two main characters is slow-burning too.
I think I would have liked this story even more if it had been told from the two female main characters’ perspectives. I felt a bit disconnected from them, which felt strange considering the book is so focused on them.
The fantasy world is built up, and described, strongly. If it wasn’t for this, along with the Queer romance and gory fight-scenes, I feel as though my rating for the story overall would have been lower. The ending was really beautifully written too, quite philosophical in nature.

Thank you to the publisher/Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I got caught up in this book so quickly. No sooner had I started than I was whisked away to Ash and Walls’s End and fully absorbed in the characters struggles. Both Kirby and Aleya’s voices were easy to get used to.

Nylophon was easy to hate at the start, but I enjoyed watching his journey over the course of the book. Though I don’t think I ever particularly liked him, he was a really good example of how a character can grow and change.

I loved the way the magic worked and the use of idols. It was really interesting the way they used the power of worship. And the way they used it in that ending was phenomenal.

Just a really great book.

It´s hard to give a score to this story because, although I didn´t find it bad in terms of narration, it was so terribly boring.
Boring to the point it pretty quickly became a chore to read it and, around 60% in, I ended up doing a speedrun till the end.

Guess what. It wasn´t worth it.

I´m still unsure if I´m biased because of reader´s block or if this truly doesn´t work as a book. But here are my problems:

The story begins who two very different characters. Kirby (who lives in a cursed village where people cannot have children) and Aleya (a princess who struggles to get her right to win the throne). They both decide to travel to a city called Nivela, because they thing they´ll find what they need.

I saw reviews saying the beginning of this story was good but I... am not so sure. The pacing felt odd for me since the start, with those abrupt jumps in time. Then, the trip begins: This book has 480 pages and the protagonist don´t meet until way past page 100. And all the while, both when they´re alone and when they finally decide to travel together, the plot is reduced to go from one place to another.
Yes, some stuff happens. People is met.
But they are all seconday characters who we won´t see again. And also the things that happen feel like mere anecdotes that don´t do much for the main mission to get to Nivela. I was very boring.

The best of the book were the descriptions of certain places. But in regards of characters, I didn´t like anyone in particular. Couldn´t even connect with Nylo, who seemed like a cartoonish villain who I never understood why was in command or why the hell was his army trying to go after the protagonists.

Now, as for the sapphic romance... I saw barely anything in this 65% of book read. A couple of dialogues with a bit of pinning, and that was pretty much it. I know this book has no HEA, but that Kirby and Aleya get together briefly (that might be, I just didn´t care enough to see how they got there).

Maybe you´ll enjoy this book if you´re interested in something snail paced, where the focus is more on what´s around than in characters or plot. For me, this just felt as if you show me a ton of bricks while you tell me you´re going to build something amazing with it, but then, ultimately, you just leave the bricks there and decide I should just admire it this way. Without any construction.

An absolute treat!

Idolfire is clearly a labour of love. I adored her sci-fi books as they were more cozy vibes than actual action (which I love from time to time) but Idolfire has confirmed that Grace should write more fantasy. The world-building was amazing, the signature cosy style but throw in a sapphic romance and an unlikely but 100% needed male Solider and you have an incredible and engaging read.

More please!

This was a fun, quest style fantasy inspired by Roman history apparently? I know literally nothing about the Romans, so can't comment on that. What I can say is that l loved the characters, Kirby and Aleya were well rounded and likable, and Nylo (eventually) grew on me after appearing somewhat late in the story.
I enjoyed the variety of lands they visited, each with their own mythology and creatures/perils. As the characters themselves didn't seem to know too much about the world or it's history, neither did we. I feel we could have benefited from a little bit more explicitness about what had gone wrong with the world though. The underwater scenes will stay in my memory for a while, what a concept. Equally eerie and magical.
The journey was definitely more satisfying than the ending imo, but maybe that was the point.

Thanks to Netgalley and Houder and Stoughten for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 Stars

This was such an incredible book! It took me a couple of chapters to get into it with the different POVs but then I couldn’t put it down! It had everything you could want from an epic fantasy: strong, complex characters, amazing world building and a quest getting everyone together!

Kirby, Aleya and Nylophon were all such interesting characters and I loved following them on their quest and through different countries and cultures.
The world building was rich, new and interesting. I really enjoyed the way faith and magic were intertwined and how we discovered everything alongside our main characters.

I would absolutely recommend this book and will definitely be picking up Grace Curtis’s other books. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy and enjoyed books like Godkiller by Hannah Kaner or Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard, please do yourself a favour and pick up this book!

Two women, two quests, one destination (and one soldier with a grudge)
Kirby leaves her dying village, she's on a quest to retrieve their stolen goddess in the hope it will lift the curse that is causing illness and infertility. Meanwhile Aleya must complete a challenge given to her to gain her place as part of the ruling family of her city.
They meet on the way, having both been captured by a weird cult, and realise that they are both heading to the same place- the city of Nivela. Along the way they meet Nylophon, a young commander of a warrior people with extremely misogynistic views. He develops a grudge and dogs their steps for many miles.
Along the way, they travel through many lands, meeting a variety of cultures that feel like ancient Mediterranean civilizations. In some places they receive help, in others they face danger. And, Aleya and Kirby's partnership, which starts out of necessity, develops into something more.

I really enjoyed the setting and the mix of different cultures. And I generally enjoy journey stories, so this appealed to me immediately. But although I liked the story, I didn't feel especially gripped or emotionally invested in it. It is quite long and, I think, maybe it would work better split into a duology. Everything felt a bit too convenient (yes, possibly explained later but if so, a bit more foreshadowing would have been nice) and some of magic/myth surrounding everything was occasionally unclear. Kirby and Aleya are perfectly fine protagonists, but I didn't feel that their characters developed much and their relationship didn't move me. The best character in the end was Nylophon, who got a more satisfying character arc. I think with a bit more time, some of the flatter aspects could have been fleshed out.

Anyway, despite a few criticisms, I did like the story and look forward to reading more from Grace Curtis.

Grace Curtis’s Idolfire is an epic, character-driven science-fantasy that blends the grandeur of a fallen empire with the intimacy of a sapphic slow-burn romance. Inspired by the fall of Rome and infused with the power of stolen gods, this novel is a sweeping tale of redemption, ambition, and the enduring spark of hope.

The story follows two compelling protagonists: Aleya Ana-Ulai, a young woman desperate to prove her worth to a family that sees her as a mistake, and Kirby of Wall’s End, a warrior seeking redemption from an ancient curse that shattered her life. Their paths converge on a journey to Nivela, a once-mighty city that harnessed the power of a thousand stolen gods to dominate the world. Now, Nivela’s gates are closed, its magic dormant—but not forgotten. As Aleya and Kirby navigate a landscape steeped in history and danger, they must confront their own pasts and the possibility of reigniting a power that could change everything.

Curtis’s world-building is breath-taking, blending the vastness of history with the immediacy of a road-trip adventure. The novel’s exploration of organized faith and its terrifying power adds depth and complexity to the narrative, while the sword fights and action sequences keep the pacing dynamic and engaging. At its heart, however, Idolfire is a story about its characters. Aleya’s determination and Kirby’s quest for redemption make them relatable and compelling, and their evolving relationship—marked by tension, trust, and a slow-burning romance—is beautifully rendered.

The sapphic romance is a highlight of the book, offering a tender counterpoint to the high-stakes adventure. Curtis’s prose is lyrical and evocative, capturing both the grandeur of the world and the intimate emotions of her characters. The themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the power of connection resonate deeply, making Idolfire a story that lingers long after the final page.

A captivating read perfect for fans of Tamsyn Muir or Samantha Shannon and anything sapphic.

Grace Curtis is fast becoming an auto buy author for me! I adore her writing style and foreboding undertones. The characters are instantly real and engaging.
Idolfire did not disappoint on these points. The transition to fantasy was smooth and kept Curtis' level of engrossing story telling. No there isn't much emphasis on the magic system or the sapphic romance to be honest. However this read like a realistic road trip quest with believable encounters, pace and conclusion. The world building is strong and the ever changing snippets of land, people, customs, language and society really made for a rich tapestry. The character arc's for Kirby and Aleya were gradual and both a strengthening and softening of their natural personalities, I thought they were great together and loved them both. The later addition of a third pov was great. Nylophon had a faster energy arc and really threw in some fast intense emotion.
The ending was intense and unexpected but totally suited the style and tone of this. I did feel like I wanted more of certain scenes, characters and lore, I would not of been mad if this was a duology. But on reflection this stayed true to the feel of a part of a whole, the bones of a legend happening in real time without the embellishments and tangents of a myth many times re-told. Can't wait for what Curtis gives us next.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the arc, all thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

4,5/5 stars, rounded up.

Idolfire is a classic hero's journey™ type of story, but told in a fresh way. To start we have two female sapphic protagonists, and they both simply want the opportunity to change their little corner of the world. Aleya is sent out on her quest because she is hated by almost everyone around her. This assignment will either result in her death or her victory and either way the issue of her heritage is solved. Kirby's friends and family don't really want her to leave, but understand her determination to lift the curse upon their town. This is only part of the reason why she wants to go save a god she knows exist, but doesn't worship.

Grace Curtis could have written this story like any hero's journey, but she put her own flair of the unexpected to it. I've already fallen in love with her writing style from reading her debut book Frontier, and this book has cemented that love. It's actually because of Frontier that I really wanted to read this ARC, to see how well Curtis could transition from Sci Fi to Fantasy and if her unique way of storytelling would keep translating well on the page.

The good:
- These two women never lose what made them strong in the first place, even though others might have viewed it as weakness. I really admire that their growth shows an extension of the personalities that they start out with, but isn't a complete reversal.
- The writing style is just excellent. It kept me engaged throughout and I loved the second person chapters adding mystery and a whole new layer to the story.
- They dangers they face on the road are portrayed very realistically, but never venturing in a type of torture porn. They come across good people and bad, and the way they resolve their problems doesn't veer into a place that feels like I have to suspend my disbelief. It's a story with high stakes, but not unnecessary or over the top drama for drama's sake.
- I even started to like the third character I'm not going to spoil, despite all their mistakes. I'm not sure many writers could have evoked the same emotion out of me.
- Again, the characters! I cannot emphasize enough: I loved them so much! I have a slight preference for Aleya and her chapters, but there were no POVs I was dreading.
- The ending was really the only realistic one, but I still thought it was a brave choice of the author to end it like it did.

The Could be better:
- There were a couple of scenes that were kind of confusing to me and I either had to reread a couple of times or it didn't become clear until later. It took me out of the story for a bit.
- There were a few meetings with characters that feel to me like deus ex machina moments: the chance of them happening didn't seem that realistic to me. But the result of these meetings did not bother me.

The Bad:
- No notes, can't think of anything bad about this book.

Is this book a new obsession of mine? No, but it quietely burrowed itself into my heart. Not gonna lie: I'm crying while writing up this review. Now admittedly, I do cry easily... but it should be a good indication of how the story touched me.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing this ARC. All opionions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Life is too short to spend time reading a book you do not enjoy, so sadly I had to DNF this one.

The prose just did not work for me at all.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!

I'll start by saying that "Idolfire" surprised me.


First, positive aspects:
I loved the idea and the world building (easy to understand and follow, no massive glossaries or complicated stuff). The magic system definitely could have been explained a bit more, but I liked the ambiguity. Since our FMCs don't really know about each others cities, this ambiguity could be explained. Not really bothering.

Since you follow multiple characters, you get to read from their POV, so you get to know them so much better. We have out sapphic pair and their unexpected friend, but also a character that seems almost omniscient, god-like. (I loved all their first chapters from each act, definitely interesting. Something similar can be found in "The raven tower".)

The ending was bitter sweet. In a wold of books with a HEA, this one truly stands out. The characters' story doesn't end as one expected, but it's still satisfying.
I think this is a standalone. There's no cliffhangers. Which makes me happy.


Now, negative:
The relationship between the FMCs was ... not really there. They barely show interest in each other, then 2/3 in the book they kiss and start a relationship. And that's it. I expected for a bit more pinning, seeing them grow closer, you know, the actual process of falling in love... (Not that it really bothered me, but people who expect romance will be quite disappointed)

The pacing. 2/3 of the book the pacing is quite slow, then boom! In the last 1/3 there's so much going of, in so little time. We have a relationship, the final part of the adventure, a quite unexpected twist. I struggled a bit to maintain interest in the slow paced part.

I will check other works the author - Grace Curtis - writes.

*I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

As soon as I heard there was an epic sapphic fantasy inspired by the fall of Rome and written by one of my favourite authors, I knew I had to read this!

Idolfire follows Aleya and Kirby, who both end up on the path to Nivela, a city once poised to conquer the world with the power of a thousand stolen gods. It’s mostly a novel about the two getting to know each other and coming across various dangers and obstacles on their journey, combining cosiness and action throughout.

I enjoyed the relationships that developed within this, alongside the detailed world building and sapphic romance. It’s a fun adventure story with lots of loveable characters, brilliant writing and distinct voices, perfect for those who love a lengthy quest narrative. Personally, I wish there was a stronger focus on plot, as this didn’t build up until the end which made for a slower reading experience, but I still had a great time travelling with Kirby and Aleya.

Thank you so much to @hodderbooks for the chance to read this early 😊

Ah man....why does she always make me cry?

Switching from sci-fi to a more dystopian fantasy style, I was looking forward to Idolfire, but a little unsure what to expect. I shouldn't have hesitated. Curtis does a fantastic job of writing characters that learn, and love, and grow, regardless of the setting she has chosen. Idolfire is no exception. A story of grief, and loss, but also hope and faith, Idolfire looks at worship, religion and greed in a small story that has a never-ending scope.

As a fantasy - it has a magic system that is fantastically done, and quite unique. I loved the fact that it isn't fully explained, that there are still questions and debates and choices to be made. That there is a morality to the magic use that our characters see from different angles. Kirby and Aleya come from vastly different societies, have different aims and intentions and yet somehow work so well together.
Whatever Curtis releases next, I've no doubt it will be a spectacular glimpse into the human condition that I will want to add to my shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley, Grace Curtis and Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read early.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

This is going to be a tricky review to write, because it is a review (and a book) of two halves. The first half of this book was absolutely phenomenal and I was utterly convinced this was going to be a 5⭐️ and become my favourite book of the year so far, and then with the second half, things started to go a bit downhill. Personally, I think this all comes down to one thing, which I'll discuss a bit more later, and that is that this book should have never been a standalone, but a duology.

First, I'm going to start off with what I loved about this book, because I did still enjoy it and would recommend it (with a few caveats). I'm not usually someone who reads long journey books, but I found that this really worked here for me! Whilst rushed in parts, I really enjoyed our protagonists' journeys across the world and their adventures and hijinks, and for the most part really enjoyed the world building, which I thought was very unique and unlike anything I've read in a book (though I do think the magic system in particular could've been utilised a lot more). I found the main cast very strong as well, all of them wildly different and nuanced, but still somehow finding their way together into an almost perfect found family structure, with a sweet, yearning, sapphic romance subplot (more spoilery thoughts about this on my Goodreads). I think the opening of this book is its strongest point. I was instantly hooked and intrigued, slowly coming to terms with the world, characters, and their motivations, and I wish the whole book continued in this way.

The issue here, I think, as I said before, is that this story does not work as a standalone. Whilst I loved reading this book and very much enjoyed it, there just wasn't ever enough. The characters were never given time to develop quite enough, both in themselves and their relationships, coming close to their best selves but never quite reaching it, with their motivations seemingly lost. The worldbuilding was never quite explored enough, heavily emphasised in the beginning and intriguing, and then slowly petering out to the point that the concept of Idolfire (the magic, not the book itself) was hardly important and I kept being surprised when it was brought up. The form - with alternating 3rd person POVs, as well as a separate 2nd person POV - was fascinating and provided an extra unravelling mystery, but was again underutilised, and I found the prose overall to be quite inconsistent (especially towards the end). And, I'm very sad to say that the ending was very much a let-down. I have some more thoughts too that are too spoilery to put here (but will be on my Goodreads) but this story desperately needed to be split across two books and I think it's heartbreaking that this story will never reach it's full potential because of its standalone.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book and would absolutely recommend checking it out when it releases, but I will never get over how phenomenal this story could have been if it was given more space to grow.

I really wanted to rate this one higher but the main problem for me was I just could not get into the story. I enjoyed the writing style, but something about the characters fell flat and I found my attention wandering often. I will still try other GC books in the future though

4.5 stars rounded up

I’ve read and enjoyed both of this author’s Sci-fi books, so I was excited to see what she did with a fantasy story.

This is fairly light in its fantasy elements, as there are only certain people that can use the Idolfire, basically faith set aflame, which I loved as a concept. We see this mostly through main character Aleya, who uses it sparingly. I also really liked the ideas of the gods, and I especially liked the idea of Nivela stealing gods/idols to grow their own power as they conquered foreign lands, reflecting the way real world empires like Rome would come in and strip natives of their culture. I also really liked the conclusion/reveal that came in the climax of these gods and their potential origins when Iona is revealed to have been an ordinary woman in life who lost her family that carved the idol in her own image.

I liked all three of the main characters, Kirby, Aleya and Nylophon and their contrasting personalities. I really loved Kirby’s opening section, which was sweet and tragic matching with her personality as a kind woman, a little too trusting and naive, but a guiding star inspiring others around her to change, including Aleya and Nylophon. Aleya, in contrast, is more untrusting, hot-headed and stubborn. She believes a lot of people are against her due to her origins, so she’s felt the need to prove herself superior by being the best, smartest, strongest, etc. though that definitely pushes some people away in the beginning, she does grow throughout the story. Nylophon is the soldier who doesn’t want to be one and a bit of a misogynistic brute at that, but in a way that was still endearing, and he does grow and I really liked the conclusion of his arc.

This is a sapphic book, but romance is definitely not the focus. Some may find it disappointing that Kirby and Aleya don’t yearn all that much, rather for a time they are inconvenient travelling companions, and then fairly easily decide to be a couple. There aren’t any internal or external forces that keep them from being a couple throughout the story. But this is more of a plot focused story than a character one, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Compared to Curtis’ other works, this feels less like a series of vignettes and more like a continuous story, however, I adored the 2nd person chapters that was a poetic description of the rise of Nivela, almost like retelling a legend.

I’m eager to see where this author goes next.

3.5⭐️
This was an interesting read, but it didn’t resonate with me like the author’s previous novels. It was very much a fantasy road trip, with lots of beautiful descriptions of the scenery. The romance was very much a slow burn, I actually enjoyed the development of Nylophon way more than that of the main characters.
I think my expectations were too high, and that’s on me. There were some good ideas, but I wanted more, especially about the magic system.

Oh boy, I wanted to love this one. I really really did. I loved Frontier by this author and thought that this would bring similar joy. Friends, it did not.

Firstly, this book needs a trigger warning for infertility and miscarriage. Secondly, I thought this would be a portal fantasy and it was not. Kirby of Wall’s End (see? I thought Kirby was a modern girl dragged into a fantasy land, alas no) leaves her village which is plagued with a kind of spreading infertility which means the babies are dying and no one can get pregnant. In a bid to save her village, Kirby leaves to try and find the goddess Iona (or maybe a statue of her?) which can be found at the lost city of Nivela.

Our other heroine, Aleya, is a bastard princess, fighting for her right to the crown. She too is tasked with going to Nivela for a relic of a missing deity. They have a chance meeting on the way and end up travelling together.

Okay, so here’s another issue for me. This book was both long and jumped about wildly… the majority of the book is a backpack fantasy, with lots of travels and different cities, all with their own convoluted histories. What I loved about Frontier was how pacy it was… this felt slow, even though they seemed to jump about from city to city… I regularly struggled with where we were in the world and why. Some of the journey was described in long, painstaking detail for no reason, and some of it we literally jumped from city to city with nothing in between?!

And Idolfire? Genuinely thought it was going to play a waaaay bigger role than it did frankly. Sort of felt like a bit of an afterthought… it’s a tricksy magic that is created through faith. But only some people can create it and use it and Aleya is one of them… and she uses this ability like 3 times throughout the book? Idk, seems like a lost opportunity there to me.

Now onto my biggest disappointment and by far the biggest spoiler, so stop now of you are thinking about actually giving this book a go. There are three (four??) main characters in this book. Kirby, Aleya, Nylo and you. Yes, you. Because chunks of this book were in second person and the book is talking to you, the reader, as if you were the Worldlord and founder of Nivela, Scoria. Who, confusingly, we do actually meet in the book and she is described in third person… so are we Scoria, or aren’t we? I just didn’t get that stylistic choice at all.

Nylo was another upset - he’s a stray who Aleya and Kirby pick up on the way, a solider who stumbled his way into being a general, was unceremoniously beaten in front of all his soldiers by Aleya, then started stalking her because he wants to bring her back to his city because she can use magic. He’s also suffering a ton of trauma because the boy he loved, a fellow solider, died in front of him in battle and he’s dealing with it in a very toxic masculinity kind of way… by ignoring it. Kirby takes pity on him and he joins their rag-tag team. And I loved him. Broken gay lad who desperately just wants a friend but had been raised to be nothing but a killing machine decides to follow these two lassies like a puppy. Oh and then dies FOR NO BLOODY REASON in the last few pages. Told you there’d be spoilers.

Now finally to my biggest gripe. So I have seen this book INCORRECTLY marketed as a Sapphic Romance. It’s not. Because a romance needs an HEA and Kirby and Aleya do not end up together!!! They are lovers on the journey, but once the journey is over they part ways and Aleya becomes queen and lives her life in her city and Kirby, now cured of infertility, goes home to Wall’s End, gets a husband and has a load of kids. They meet up again in the epilogue when they are both elderly and Aleya is on her deathbed. So yeah, not a romance I’d argue, merely a sapphic fling. Which is fine, but not what I signed up for.

Two stars because I loved Nylo, the battle scenes and there were some great places that they visited, and it was gonna be three stars until that ending, Nylo dying and Kirby and Aleya not even having an HEA together… yeah. This book was not the one, for me at least. I’m gonna read Frontier over and over but if I never see this book again in my life I’d be thankful.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book. I don’t blame you in the slightest.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Grace Curtis’ writing has such a distinctive quality. There is always a perfect balance between high stakes and the gentle, steady pace, but what stands out most is the sheer warmth and heart in every word. Her prose is beautifully rich and immersive, especially when describing the landscapes her characters traverse. (The Ocean Road? That will be haunting my dreams.)

Having read and loved both of Curtis’ previous sci-fi novels, I was eager to see what she would bring to the fantasy genre. And she absolutely delivered. The world building, (centered around Idolfire and its deities,) felt intricate and engaging, detailed enough to fully draw me in without ever becoming overwhelming.

But, as with her previous books, it’s the characters who truly shine:
- Aleya, a royal from the city of Ash, journeying to Nivela to prove herself worthy to her people.
- Kirby, from the remote village of Wall’s End, making the same journey in search of the lost goddess’s idol.
- Nylophon, a mercenary who loses everything along the way, forcing him to question his very purpose. (I love him dearly!)

These three couldn’t be more different, and their clashing personalities, tense interactions, and gradual growth made for a fantastic dynamic. They challenge each other, nearly kill each other more than once, and yet their journey together feels very rewarding.

This book has officially solidified Grace Curtis as an auto-buy author for me. I can’t wait to see what she does next!