Reviewed by Alex Ndirangu for Readers' Favorite

The past few days have been Lyssa's worst nightmare. She was nearly devoured by the ferocious Juguai, got separated from her sister, Sage, and, after being struck by dragon fire, she later woke up to find herself captive in a dragon's cavern. Then, along came Zordiak, a human from another world. Every instinct in Lyssa screams "Mate!"—her destined mate, her human hero straight from the pages of her beloved books from the human world, stories that spoke of human heroes with magical items, of great quests and daring rescues. But nothing is as it seems. Things get even more exciting when Lyssa's sister, Sage, joins forces with centaurs, elves, and gnomes, and they enter a truce to take the war to the dragon and end the terror attacks. The hunt is on. But something far more dangerous is hunting them—a being darker than evil—and it won't stop until every last one of them is dead! Storm clouds of war are gathering in Nicole LaBrocca's Shadows of Fire. Lyssa might be the only hope for a future and freedom if she can cheat death.

Nicole LaBrocca's evocative prose, page-turning suspense, and intricate magic systems pull you in, so hold on tight and don't let go until the very end. There's lots of danger, exhilarating drama, delicious twists, terror, and worlds falling apart. The characters are nothing short of stunning. They each possess unique powers and are well-developed. There's war, love, loss, betrayal, and fleets of magical beings (some even the size of a small building) coming together for the dawn of hope... or doom. You can almost hear the rhythmic sound of metal on whetstones across the grassy plains as gargoyles sharpen their weapons to lethal edges. An intriguing backdrop of political spite, supernatural tension, and forbidden love makes this journey all the more unputdownable. Shadows of Fire is epic—a definite must-read for all lovers of magic, high-stakes adventures, and dramatic love triangles.