Incendiary

This reimagining of the Spanish Inquisition is so rich in detail, including an elaborate magic system that is explained to us without stalling the story. Throwing us into the middle of the rebellion of the magical Moria against the King's Justice, the author keeps us on our toes. The story demands our constant attention, as to not miss anything and get lost.

I really like how the author portrays Ren's power/memories she sees. They are like the protagonist, delicate and strong. Also the antithesis of Dez and Ren, he being beloved which has evolved his personality positively, and she being powerful but hated and feared. This makes her awkward with others and vulnerable. You root for this couple from the very beginning.

And then a rescue mission goes wrong and everything is turned upside down. Ren ends up in the places she fears most, fears herself most. Things get even more intense. "You are not a girl. You are vengeance in the night". Ren's pain and every emotion are palpable through the narrative. A POV so immersive, you forget that it is 1st person.

I can honestly say that Cordova has done well in creating despicable villains. The kind you passionately hate. But I adore Ren's unexpected allies in the palace.

A story of redemption, honor, the destructiveness of prejudice, heartbreak and discovering your inner strength. Full of gasp-worthy revelations, the book just gets better and better, making it almost impossible to put down. This book more than delivers and promises us an explosive series.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy of Incendiary, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review!



Ren is a Robari, a Moira with the power to steal other peoples' memories.  Held by the King since she was a child, as a weapon for her powers, she now lives with the other Moira who helped her escape.  But the Robari are the most feared of all the Moira, for their ability to hollow people out of all of their memories, leaving them a shell of themselves, so no-one quite trusts her, including the other Moira.  When her commander and best friend are taken captive by the king, Ren is determined to save him, but she ends up with a mission far more dangerous than she could have imagined.

Incendiary was full of magic and heart stopping action.  I was absolutely captivated from the first page and barely paused for breath while reading.  The Moira magic system is both interesting and fairly easy to understand.  I was so intrigued learning about each different type of Moira and hope they are even further explored in the next book.  I loved Ren as a main character.  The author did such a wonderful job of portraying her different emotions, both in her current life and her own lost memories, that she slowly re-discovers throughout the story.  I really love books that revolve around spies and betrayal at the moment and Incendiary definitely fit the bill!

Oh wow. I loved this story so much. It was a wild, emotional ride that I didn't want to end. I'm only going to list two things I loved about it, instead of my usual three, because everything I want to say is full of spoilers and I definitely don't want to give anything away.

1) The emotion in this story was what made it so special. I felt keenly for Ren - her sadness, her elation, her victories and her losses. There were moments when I thought I might cry, and others where I cheered. She is a wonderful protagonist and Córdova does a superb job of making you feel every second of her journey.

2) The magic in Ren's world is fantastic and so well defined. I loved all the limitations and details, the way it made the characters feel and the way it drove the plot. Ren's memory magics were particularly intriguing. There was so much complexity to her role as a Robari, she is wielded as a prize and a weapon, valued but also feared. Stealing memories takes a toll on Ren, shrouding her own past in the fog of the Grey, and it also alters how she sees and values herself.

I can't wait to return to Ren and her brilliant friends in book two. I wish I could start it straight away!

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for giving me the chance to read this ARC, and a huge thank you to Zoraida Córdova for writing it.

Wow! What a book!

This book captured me from page 1 and didn’t let go until the end, I am already dying to read the sequel!!!

Renata is a magic warrior, a Robaría, a Moría. She can take others memories but, then carries them with her, losing her own sense of self.

Stolen from her parents as a child, she is used as a weapon by Justice Mendes and the Royal family of Selvina, to reduce their enemies to Hollows in their fight to eliminate magic; Akin to the Spanish Inquisition’s destruction of everything not Catholic in the 15th century,

Renata falls in love with Dez, the leader of the Whispers who rescued her from the Royal Palace. She trains with The Whispers and learns more about her powers, but never truly feels a part of the them and is distrusted and feared. Dez is the only one who truly trusts and has faith in her.

When Dez is caught by Prince Castian, Renata is forced to return to The Palace of Andalucia to find the mighty weapon that could destroy all Moria and finally eliminate magic for good.
Renata must face her fears, find her way through the maze of others’ memories to discover herself and the truth about her life and the lives of those around her.

The world-building of this book layered on the foundation of the history of Spain, the Spanish Inquisition is articulate and accurate, conjuring up images of Moorish Spain, grand palacios and the catholic regency of Isabel and Fernando. The reader is transported into a stunning world contrasting the sumptuous with the poverty stricken, cages both gilded and desolate with wide open space, forests and mountain ranges all synonymous with a long gone historic period and the beauty of southern Spain.

The twists and turns of Renata’s story keep you on the edge of your seat, as a reader you feel like you are in Renata’s shoes putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

I read a lot of this genre, but there have only been a few books that have captured me like this. I fell in love with Renata because of her self-doubt and determination to fight and stay on the path, rather than give up and run away. Plus it was lovely to not have a sudden romance/enemies become lovers set up.

I definitely recommend reading this book for a story that has more twists & turns than the maze in Wonderland, and for the strength, honesty and journey it takes you on.

From the moment I read that this book was inspired by Inquisition Era Spain and had all the intrigue and politics of a royal court, I was hooked and immediately requested a copy via NetGalley. I honestly couldn’t bring myself to stop reading this book, it reinforced my love for Y/A fantasy in so many ways. It’s reminiscent of other Y/A fantasy that is around right now but is still unique and has a flair and skill that is hard to find.

Incendiary is a captivating and intense story of magic, power, love and loss. Following Ren Convida, a Robari – someone who has the power to view and take memories from anyone she touches, leading her to be shunned by her own people as well as those who want to eradicate the Moria all together. We read as Ren is part of the resistance, The Whispers who try and smuggle people to safety and then as she is forced to return to the confines of the palace, and to the very people who took her from her own family once before. Ren is then forced to play politics and palace intrigue, all the while intending to get revenge on the brutal Prince Castian and his cruel father.

One of the novels biggest strengths is the world building and magic system. I loved how intricate and well written this novel was and how it didn’t take me long to get to grips with it all either. I think this is partly due to Zoraida Córdova’s skill as a writer and how her prose has so much clarity and ease. There are so many quiet, beautiful quotes in this novel which I kept highlighting because they just kept coming.

I loved Ren as the protagonist and thought she was so interesting and complex. I was rooting for her right from the beginning and wanted her to find the peace she deserves so badly. Her entire life she’s been on the outskirts looking in due to her rare form of magic, she is seen as a threat to be controlled or feared, rather than an actual person. It was so satisfying then to see her find power in herself and accept what she can’t change and find real friendship and connection after such a long time of feeling on the outside. I thought her relationship with Dez, who is her best friend as well as her love interest, so sweet and genuine. Usually I root for the ‘bad boy’ character but Dez won me over right from the start which is so unusual for me!

As well as Ren being such a great main character, I loved the secondary characters we got to know as well. I liked Dez, Sayida, Esteban and Margo individually and their dynamic as a group, despite the latter two’s more frosty treatment of Ren at times. Prince Castian while seemingly violent and irredeemable, also had much more to him and I enjoyed seeing how his part of the story played out. This is a novel where the characters are morally gray at times and make messed up decisions, and this isn’t just restricted to the ‘bad guys’ either. Don’t get me wrong, there are some villains I loved to hate despite this.

Overall, I can’t recommend Incendiary enough, it’s well written, has characters that readers will root for and has some twists and turns which I loved. I can see this book being huge on its release and rightfully so because it’s such an enjoyable tale. I’m already anticipating the sequel, can it be here like now??

Review to be posted on blog: 20/04/20

Absolutely trilling and absorbing read.
That magic system alone is incredible and I love that it has different factions... I hope to see more of it in the next book.
Then there are all the morally grey characters, you literally don’t know who is on what side ... betrayal ... scheming and irrational planning is rife and damn it pulls me in.
Also Leo is like my ultimate book bestie ... just saying.

Honestly a truly breathtaking book that I truly adored. I love the writing and while sometimes the MC didn't do what I thought was best, I was still gripped. A+

This was my first Zoraida Córdova book and I loved it. It was gripping from start to finish, with an incredible magic system and a fantastically complex main character. This one is definitely worth preordering!

‘Incendiary’ is an exciting and engaging fantasy book with a strong-willed female protagonist. I was hooked throughout and I can’t wait for the next instalment!

Ren is a Robari, one of the Moria (people who possess magic) but feared by everyone because of her power - the ability to take memories. As part of the rebellion force called the Whispers, she attempts a rescue mission but ends up taking on a much greater mission which leads her back to life inside the palace.

This story had me gripped really quickly, I love the magical system the author has created and the world building is intricate enough without being over the top. I was given an e-ARC, so I’m interested to see if the finished copy will have a map (I love a good fantasy map), as I think that might help readers to visualise the world layout more easily.

Ren was a relatable main character, I like that she has real flaws and fears, not just superficial ones. She has faced so many horrors and is still to face more, and her inner strength is inspiring. I felt her anger, love, sadness and betrayal quite deeply. The other characters were really well created and the plot had lots of twists and turns. I loved Dez’s character but by the end of the book I felt a bit differently (I won’t spoil anything by saying more)!

The way Ren’s unveiled memories are woven into the plot is cleverly done and though I predicted some elements, the story kept me guessing and the latter half of the book was quickly paced, keeping me glued to my kindle!

If this isn’t on your TBR list then make sure you add it! An enjoyable story of magic, secrets and betrayal.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book.

I loved Incendiary from start to finish, I could not put it down. I would argue that it is Zoraida’s best work to date, and I cannot wait for the sequel (WHY DOES READING ARCS MEAN WAITING SO LONG FOR THE STORY TO CONTINUE?!) Renata is a wonderfully complex heroine struggling against the world, the regime, and, most of all, herself. Over the course of the story, she grows, learns, and realises that the world is not as black and white as she had believed, and that she might need to learn how to trust in order to survive and succeed. As a Moria with the powers of memory, a Robari, rare and valuable to the regime, Renata is coveted by both sides, but trusted by neither, and one of the most important elements of the story is that she needs to find herself in this mess.

But of course Incendiary is not centered around a single character – it would not be a true Zoraida Còrdova novel if there were not group heist shenanigans and ensuing chaos! Combined with the spring 2020 revolution trend, I think we can safely assume that we have a hit on our hands. An imaginative world, well-crafted characters and a thrilling story are bound to enchant readers and leave them wanting more.

I’m actually having a hard time thinking about what to say about Incendiary apart from READ IT – it is a wonderful book, and I do highly recommend it! It has everything I like in a book (except, maybe, dragons, but those wouldn’t make any sense), and I loved that it based a high fantasy world on a Latin perspective, rather than classical mid-European sword-and-sorcery imagery.

What a wonderful story Incendiary is. It is full to the brim of complex characters, plot twists and interesting magical abilities. I adored this book from start to finish.

It is a book where even the bad guys intrigue you, and you wish you could see into their brains and pick their thoughts, to see why they do what they do. I really enjoyed reading Incendiary and I hope you will too.

This book blew me away. Brilliantly paced, with some beautifully written characters and a whole fresh new magic system for you to dig your teeth into.

Renata Convida is a Robari, the rarest of all Moria (magic wielders). Stolen from her home as a child to be the toy of the Emperor she is rescued at an early age by the Whispers, revolutionary Moria who fight back against the Kingdom that tries to hold them down. Only, most of them see Renata as a threat, rather than a fellow whisper, her power to remove people's memories puts her on the outskirts of the group and its only Dez, the boy who rescued her from the Palace, the boy that holds her heart, that ever makes her feel like she belongs. So when Dez is taken captive by the infamous Sangrado Prince, Renata feels she has no choice but to infiltrate the place she once thought of as home. But getting back the trust she once had is harder than she imagined, and she has no idea who she can rely on in the palace for help. With memories she though lost returning, she uncovers a plot that could change the fate of the kingdom, and she might just have to rely on the last person she thought would be on her side to get it done.

I had little idea when I first started this book of the journey I would be taken on. One of deception, of love and of memories both lost and regained. I will admit to finding the first part of the book slightly slow, however, once the main storyline got going I found it almost impossible to put down. Between the authors world building that has you travelling the Kingdom of Andalucia effortlessly, and her descriptive writing in general it was hard not to fall into the pages, getting a little more lost in the world she built every time until it was nearly unbearable to pull myself out.

Renata is such an intriguing perspective to read the book from. Most of her childhood was spent in the palace as a guest/toy of Judge Mendez. Fooled into using her powers against the Whispers by the promise of sweets and pretty dresses, she never quite gets over how vulnerable she was as a child and hates herself almost as much as the other whispers do. We see her struggle through all the stolen memories she holds inside, memories which can force their way into her mind and are impossible to predict. She feels like an outsider, both in the whispers and at court, and it is only Dez that can make her feel, even a little like she belongs. There are a multitude of other characters that we get introduced too from the other members of Lynx Unit; Dez, Margo, Esteban and Sayida, to Leo, Renata's only friend in court. Every character we get introduced too furthers the story line in some way and the author makes it almost impossible for you to predict who you can trust.

I found the magic system thoroughly refreshing and well developed. There are 4 main branches of magic; Robari have the ability to remove memories from a person and can erase someones mind completely, Persuari have the ability to influence people from moods to physical action, Ventari have the ability to enter peoples minds, see if they are being truthful and communicate with each other over long distances, and Illusionari have the ability to create illusions either on themselves or the area/people around them. Though all these skills are ones we have seen brought to life in other works of Fantasy, the author manages to put her own twist on them seemingly making them unique to this story.

This book has got to be the King of plot twists. We know from pretty early on that the Whispers have a spy in the Palace and we then spend the next 75-90% of the book trying to work out who it could be. I thought I had it guessed so many times, only to be proven wrong. There are plenty of other twists in there to keep you guessing and with the authors writing style you find yourself flying through the pages, unable to put it down. This was an easy 4.5/5 for me and I will certainly be picking up the sequel as soon as I can get my hands on it.

An exciting and brilliant novel with a great world building, an amazing magical system and a fascinating MC.
I read it as fast as I could and I think that I will surely read other books by this author.
An excellent fantasy that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I've had my eyes on this book since December 2018, and I've finally gotten a copy!! This book did not disappoint!

Overall
From reading the prologue, I was intrigued by the magic. There was just something about it I felt was fresh and exciting so I kept reading.

It was an original read with magic that focuses on human abilities and perception, not elements which I loved.

The characters were interesting and I didn't hate a single one which I find surprising. Now I didn't love everyone either, but there was always something likeable about a character.

The story
There were several twists and turns in this book - of them, several I didn't see coming. I was surprised by things which made the book feel fresher. But by the end, I got some "Red Queen vibe from the story and its only got to do with one element, but I liked it.

Most of the story unfolds around Ren receiving or taking memories from others and her joining the dots, but I felt I joined some dots way before her and I wasn't surprised by some big revels. However, some smaller reveals I didn't see coming and they surprised me :)

Worldbuilding
The world slowly unfolds for you. The magic isn't dumped on you but explained and given in pieces.

I had a Mexico feel to this world but apparently, it was more of a Spain situation. I don't care, I'll go for Mexico :)

The magic/science
The magic is fascinating. there are 4 types of magical: Illusionari, Robari, Ventari and Persuari. Illusionari has the power to create illusions. Robari takes people memories, Ventari can read people minds and tell if someone is telling the truth. Persuari deals with emotions and makes people feel.

I liked how all the magic is related to what humans perceive and not about elements or creating something. It was refreshing.

There is also the element of certain base metals bringing enhanced owers to people. Gold power the illusions etc. I like that element too.

LGBT+?
Yes, some on the side. Not a bad thing and not frowned upon.

The writing
The writing was really good. The author is experienced and is award-winning so I didn't expect anything less.

I had an ARC version and there were a few incomplete sentences which I hope is completed in the final version. By incomplete, I mean sentences like this: "That boy would let you him anything, and you know it". It stops you in your tracks and makes you think, so it interferes with the flow of your reading.

I assume these will be gone in the final version.

Summary
Loved this book! and I'll definitely check out the next one in the series and even more by the same author.

I loved it :)