I gave this book a quick try, and ultimately decided to DNF -- my tastes have changed since I requested this. Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book!

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read and review this!

Something about the Book of Fire just doesn't work for me. Talia is too good, this feral cat from the jungle trying to rescue everyone, with her best friend and the high-ranking general both in love with her. She's too saintly except for what happens between her and Augustus's sister, and the way they fought it seemed kinda childish. She was far far far too quick to trust everyone with the code.

Some of the language was also really off, and I feel like someone should have really gone over this in detail to clean it up, for example:

'It left a gutsy, raw wound in its place and the type of pain that created energy and purpose."

To give credit to the author though, the idea behind this was actually really good. The world she's built up inside the city; a dictator trying desperately to recreate an ancient civilization and all the mythological creatures, and hierarchies it came with was really well done!

Finished the book and ordered the next instalments straight away.

Fast, exciting, well-rounded characters, and a plot that is not driven by predictable romance. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Trigger Warnings: (talk of and attempted) rape, death of a loved one, talk of animals being hurt or experiented on

Welcome to the end of the world as we humans have known it. After the Great War, most of humanity has gone to live in LifeDomes. As far as they know, the outside world was destroyed during the war, and only rubble remains without any nature left. There are however people called the outsiders: people who live outside of the domes in a city in nature, after the world healed itself. Talia and her grandfather protect a very important book. A book, if fallen into the wrong hands, could provide a very disastrous future...

This book was great! The Roman influences (which might be lightly put, since it is a very large part of the story) were amazing. Can you imagine of someone actually managed to create these creatures during our time? That would be terrifying!

The characters were nicely fleshed out, I had never a moment that I thought that reactions weren't genuine or logical. Minus the romance bit (I'm tricky to please when it comes to fantasy-, or dystopian romance) I liked everything about the story! It had me gasping out loud at moments, or sitting there with my hand clasped against my mouth while reading as fast as I could.

I highly recommend this!

Combining dystopia and ancient history, Michelle Kenney's debut series Book of Fire slots nicely into the list of best young adult science-fiction. Set in the not so distant future, the world has been destroyed and human life can only be sustained within a specially designed lifedome - at least that is what everyone living inside has been told. The protagonist, Talia, begs to differ, having lived in secret on the outside all her life.

A rogue test missile exploded with cataclysmic effect on 3rd November 2025, leaving cities in ruins. Whilst most people ran to the lifedome, Talia's grandfather and a few others ran in the opposite direction. For years, they have lived in the relative safety of Arafel, whose existence has been kept hidden from the majority of the people living in the dome.

Unfortunately, the leader of the lifedome is one of the few who knows of their existence and wishes to eradicate them and Talia's peaceful life is suddenly destroyed when her grandfather and her twin brother Eli are captured by soldiers. Determined to rescue them, Talia and her friend Max break into the dome but what they discover makes them even more concerned about the life of not just their families but all the remaining humans.

Obsessed with Ancient Rome, the lifedome's leader Octavia has created a replica of the historical city, going as far as to genetically produce strong and powerful gladiators. Yet, the more Talia sees of the lifedome - Pantheon - the more she realises it is not just extra-strong humans that Octavia has been experimenting with. Hidden in the depth of the dome are mythological creatures made from a mix of human and animal parts; creatures that should not exist, however, they all have various defects.

Talia soon learns that her grandfather was kidnapped for a reason: he knows the secret to create the perfect DNA for these creatures and, in turn, Talia unwittingly knows it too.

Initially, all Talia wanted was her grandfather and brother back but now she is part of something much bigger and must choose between her family, self-preservation and the rest of the human race. On top of that, she begins to fall for a pseudo-Roman Gladiator. Could it get any more complicated?

Michelle Kenney has created a world where the monsters turn out to be the heroes and the humans in charge, the monsters. Reading this at the time of the coronavirus makes the apocalyptic situation a little too close for comfort but it provides a strong message not to mess with things that no longer exist. Imperfection is a common by-product of life's recover - if only Octavia could have accepted that.

Book of Fire is the first in a promising trilogy that will transport you into a world of fantasy, danger, wonderful creatures and a hint of reality. For those who love ancient history and dystopian fiction will thoroughly enjoy this series.

I love discovering a great series late because it means there are already more books to read! This series has the epic feel of my favourite dystopians but uses elements from history and science-fiction to create something entirely new.

The world building in this book is brilliant and I think the historical touches have a lot to do with that. I really liked how the world is build around the Roman Empire, with other historical elements woven in. It was great fun trying to spot the different references!

I also found the pacing really strong and I think that's in part to do with the plotting but also the characters. The action definitely builds as the book progresses and I was tearing through it by the end. I also really liked the interactions and relationships between characters that build through the book. It wasn't always easy to pick out the trustworthy characters, and I love that!

Book of Fire is an exciting start to the series and I can't wait to pick up the next two instalments.

For those like me, finding a good book after The Hunger Games and DIvergent seems difficult, but Book of Fire has the right elements, the great characters, and the haunting setting to take you back to the feeling very quickly. A very good YA novel...

This book was highly enjoyable and was really happy with it. However I do plan on doing a reread of it at some point in the future since it took me a long time to read due to other commitments!

Recommend this book to others!

Firstly, huge thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley, for providing me with a review copy of this book.
So, I went into this book not really knowing what to expect, and the first thing that struck me was the language. It's so lyrical and beautiful, and there's something almost haunting about the imagery and tone. The language itself reminded me a lot of the style employed in both The Clan of the Cave Bear and The Walls Around Us. They both have the immersive, lyrical quality that Book of Fire has. Yet Michelle Kenney's novel also has the high stakes of The Hunger Games (I'm always doubtful when I see that one used as a comp title due to how huge it is, but here it really works).
I'll confess, it did take me a little while to get used to this writing style that is lyrical and beauitful but that covers a lot of action. It felt a little slower at first than other YA novels I'm used to, but once I was used to Michelle Kenney's voice, I could not read fast enough. I just had to know what happens.
Both Eli and Talia are fully fleshed characters and very well written. I must admit, I love stories with twins--that was one of the reasons I requested a review copy of this book in particular--and the bond these two share is really well written. I also really liked that Eli is Deaf, and yet he's still treated as a valuable member of society for his way with animal and wild creatures. So often, disabled characters are often treated as a burden in fiction, but I really appreciated this representation.
The other characters are well-written too, and I especially loved the grandfather. Each character has strengths and flaws.
I really liked the worldbuilding. It's refreshing and new, and gives a lovely twist on your standard fantasy and sci-fi stories. There's also a touch of dystopian in there too, which I adored. The world itself is hugely imaginative and everything is layered nicely, and I loved how we're given the history of this world too, yet there's not really any sections that are heavy in backstory. Instead, everything is woven in pretty seamlessly. And normally, when I've read Dome stories, the MC has been one who lives on the inside--Talia lives on the outside, and it's the insiders who are the threat, and that just felt so new. A couple of times, I'd forgotten what the 'terminology' in this book referred to, but this wasn't a problem, as Kenney defly weaves clues in to remind you who's who--it was mainly the Sweepers who I kept getting confused about.
(Also, Exeter is mentioned, and as a local, I loved that!)
I really liked the contrast of the insiders and the outsiders. It was well-thought out and incredibly well executed, the old 'natural' ways vs technology.
Overall, Book Of Fire is a tightly plotted fantasy story of deception vs truth, and loyalty vs betrayal, with incredibly well written characters and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I didn't know where this book would go when I started reading it: at first glance, it seemed like a traditional dystopia, with the world post-apocalypse, and the surviving humans split between the outsiders (who live in the forest) and those inside the Lifedome, a massive structure housing what is left of civilization. We follow Talia, an outsider, hunting and gathering for her family until the day her brother and grandfather are taken in a raid by those mysterious people inside the dome. And that's when every expectation I had got thrown out of the window, and my mind was blown.

Mild spoilers from here on out: if you don't want to know what society is like under the dome, and would rather find out for yourself, head on over and start reading the book now. If you don't mind having that spoiled for you, it's what I found the most compelling with the book, and I'm going to rave about how awesome it is.

The dome was built before the downfall of humanity in order to house massive strides in bioengineering. It's only logical that when the apocalypse came and mankind needed a place to ride it out, the elite got the better end of the deal, and the lower classes - let in by sheer pity and necessity for a labor force, à la Snowpiercer - got the sharp end of the stick. The new society is entirely ruled by the fundamentals of bioengineering, artificial selection, and genetic experimentation.

And the Roman empire. Because what cooler combination than modern day Romans trying to bring their myths back to life? If you enjoy Greek/Roman mythology, then you're going to see it come alive in marvelous, terrible ways. The author's abundant knowledge of Roman life and culture infuse the novel with a degree of realness that you can't help but be drawn in.

On top of the cool premise, we have Talia, a headstrong main character with a massive love for her family (she reminds me a little of Katniss in the way she deals with disaster) and a secret that could end mankind if it ends up in the wrong hands. With the help of a mysterious knight named August, and her lifelong friend Max, Talia battles the cruel realities of the dome and its vicious despot, Octavia as she tries to rescue her brother and grandfather.

While the love triangle felt a little forced, I'm 100% team Taugust (is that a thing? it should be a thing) though someone should really tell him calling a girl 'Feral Cat' all the time isn't as sweet as he thinks it is. Oh well.

This book is if The Isle of Doctor Moraux was crossed with Hunger Games but written by a Roman. It's exciting, fun, and brilliantly clever. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

Talia and her twin brother Eli live in a forest community in a future England that has been affected by nuclear war.
They live in fear of their home being discovered by the dome-dwelling Insiders who have been led to believe that life outside the domes is impossible.
When some of Talia's family are taken by the Insiders, she will do anything to get them back. Even if it means going into the domes.
Why does the leader of the Insiders want the Book of Arafel - a book that has been given to Talia to keep safe by her grandfather - so much?
Will Talia make it out of the domes alive?

I was intrigued by the blurb for Book of Fire, but, unfortunately, I ended up disappointed.
From the very beginning, I struggled with the writing style. I found a lot of the sentences clunky and thought they could have flowed easier.
The characters and plot were okay but I lost interest several times.
I liked the Roman and mythological creature themes, but I wasn't a fan of the romance.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy Book of Fire as much as I hoped.

Overall this was an okay read.

This book was pretty similar to the Divergent series in a couple key places, so I had trouble with that because I loved Roth's series so well. On the other hand, dystopians are a favorite of mine so I enjoyed the world building and the concept of 'insiders' vs 'outsiders.' Fans of Roth's books will definitely find this intriguing, but I guess I saw a bit too much of a similarity in regards to the big reveal in Allegiant (no spoilers, don't worry!) for me to give this a full five stars.

I have to say I wasn't as impressed by this book as I hoped I would be. The idea sounded great and at the start I was really interested in Arafel and their lifestyle. The Roman based life in the Dome was also really interesting, but beyond that, nothing really hooked my attention.

Talia as a character was good, but she was so determined to get her family back and for most of it, she did nothing but what others told her to do. There was so much waiting around as she predictably got involved in a love triangle and got distracted from her goals by it.

There was so much there that would have been great but for the most part it was just the same as every other dystopia book out there. There was nothing there that set it apart and there needs to be something, especially in this genre.

I'm sad to say that I have a few books from Netgalley that I DNF on... either it didn't hook me into the story and I lost least or I found out that there is more to the series and can't get the first and so on book from that series... Yup here it goes, Don't believe me wash the dishes! Look at the website: http://fkrants.blogspot.com/2017/09/ng-dnf-sept-edition.html

As the first book from HQ Digital, I was curious to see what they started off with. Furthermore, this book was discovered by Chloe Seager, author of EDITING EMMA but also an agent, and I wanted to see what I could expect from her in terms of findings in the future. I was pleasantly surprised that this first offering was a YA dystopian, as I love them so much, but they seem to have been largely relegated to self-publishing these days (bar a few exceptions). I was also not disappointed with HQ Digital and Chloe, as Book of Fire by Michelle Kenney was interesting, exciting, and even a little educational.

The book is set in the future after a nuclear war between the East and the West. How appropriate is the timing of this release??? Talia is an Outsider, living with her family in a village of treehouses. When some of her family members are taken by the Insiders (people living in the Lifedome, designed to protect people from the effects of the bombs dropped during the war), she follows them on a treacherous rescue mission. What she discovers shocks her…and me. Quite frankly, I was not expecting what was inside.

I really liked the surprises, especially when combined with the ties to history, mythology, and science. There was also a message behind the book about how dangerous it is to play god with nature. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love science, but one of my favourite areas of science is evolutionary science and seeing how animals have gradually adapted and evolved into what they are now. Trying to control the drivers of the natural world is mad and takes away a lot of the wonder and beauty there is out there.

The array of characters was intriguing, both physically and personality-wise. I would have liked a bit more on a few of them, especially Octavia, but otherwise, the variety kept me interested. I can’t really say much more without spoilers, though, which is why my review is super vague, sorry!

No book is perfect, and debuts often have a few flaws as the authors are still developing their skill and style. Book of Fire was no exception. There was a bit of insta-love that would have benefited with either toning down to just insta-lust (more believable) or extending the timeline. There was also a very predictable love triangle, as well as an unnecessary hint towards sexual abuse. Finally, there were some inconsistencies in the world-building, and some of the science didn’t quite make sense to me. However, like I said, this is Kenney’s debut, and I see plenty of potential in her writing for great books in the future.

Overall, a great start to what looks to be a series based on the ending (no sign on Goodreads yet of it having a sequel). The story ends satisfactorily (no cliffhanger!), so I’m eager to see what the next book holds, especially if it can clarify some of the questions I have left!

DNF at 50%
I tried, I really tried. Normally I will DNF a book much sooner than the halfway mark because I don't like wasting my time on a book that I'm not really enjoying, but as this one is an arc, that I requested myself, and it wasn't bad I figured I owed it a little extra time. But it just wasn't for me.

The concept of Book of Fire was interesting enough. The world as we know it has come to an end. People who have lived in the dome for generations since the Great War are led to believe that outside of it the world is inhabitable. Which, of course, they're wrong.
Our protagonist is Talia, a 'feral cat' of a girl. She's grown up on the outside, living in a modern day Eden, Arafel. Where humans are taught to love and respect nature, the Insiders of the Dome are a constant threat to their way of life. When the Insiders get a hold of two members of the Outsiders Talia goes on a rescue mission to get them back.

The story reminded me a lot of The 100 except no one technically left Earth. The Dome is all high tech and pushing the boundaries of nature while the Outsiders have reverted back in time much like the Grounders in The 100. So reading this I felt like I had kind of been here before but from the opposite perspective than I've already seen through.

I like Talia as a character, I thought she was fun and passionate and feisty. I liked Eli, a character who lives in silence and has a deep connection with animals. I like how protective he was of his sister Talia and vice versa. I enjoyed August the wayward Insider trying to help Outsiders, he was interesting but no one was interesting enough for me to care all that much about what was going to happen and who survived.

For lovers of dystopian novels, I think this would be an entertaining book as can be seen by the many positive reviews Book of Fire has, unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

4☆ Beautifully Written, Imaginative, Dystopian Fantasy.

Book of Fire is an imaginative play on your senses and literally transports you into a world of Fantasy, danger, wonderful creatures.

In a way it kind of reminds me of the TV series The 100 which I am hooked on.

Two worlds, one inside the Dome and one outside the Dome.
After a war that has filled the area of Nuclear poison. Those inside the Dome have never been outside in fear they will not survive. Or have they been outside??
The Insiders must never find out or meet the Outsiders as bad things will happen.

Twins Talia and Eli and their family live outside in a secret village called Arafel. Even though nature is slowly recovering after the war there is still a way to go.
Those who are safe in the Dome believe that outside is dangerous and no one survived.

So when Talia' s Grandfather and her brother Eli get captured and taken to the Dome. Talia has no option but to try and rescue them. However what she discovers inside is shocking and dangerous and a little bit disturbing.

Inside the Dome are many wonderful  creatures that have been created inside the Dome.

Talia is to become the keeper of the Book of Fire after her Grandfather passes it onto her to protect at all costs.

But what is the Book of Fire??
I guess you will just have to read it to find out.

I really did enjoy reading this book. It was different to books I have been reading lately. It has something to please everyone, a romance, fantasy, creatures, science, Dystopian, mythology.

The characters were well written. I particularly liked Talia she was very strong and had a sheer determination and loyalty to her family. Not to mention how extremely brave she was to enter the lions den, the unknown (The dome).

I'm really hoping this isn't the only book and there is more to come.

Perfect read for lovers of YA, Fantasy, Dystopian, Sci Fi.

Book Of Fire by Michelle Kenney is a dystopian YA novel blending fantasy, science-fiction, mythology and the Voynich manuscript.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Good character development, premise and setting; but, the mesh of mythology and science was the weak point for me.

Sometimes, you come across a book that you can’t quite categorise. Is it a science-fiction novel, is it a fantasy novel, or is it just a straight YA novel? The Book of Fire is one of these: I picked it up expected a straight fantasy romp, and it ended up twisting and turning like a labyrinth, giving us some odd curveballs along the way.
The Book of FIre does start as a fantasy. Talia and her family live in a forested community, hidden from the outside world by mountains and crags. A hundred years ago, the world was almost destroyed by a huge world war, and though nature is fast recovering, most of the population lives inside a massive white dome- the Isca Pantheon- built before the disaster to shelter civilians. As far as the citizens inside know, outside is a wasteland- and Talia shouldn’t exist. Now, something far more sinister is going on inside, and when Talia’s brother and grandfather are taken into the dome she follows.
I liked the way that Kenney blurred the lines between genres here. Though of course fantasy is a well-trodden genre, the way that she kept adding new details, making the inside of the Pantheon a high-tech paradise and then populating it with genetically modified humans and mythical beasts like Cerberus and cyclopes definitely made me look twice! Everything had a Roman flavour to it, which did jar slightly at the start but was a welcome, fresh take on the genre that kept me engaged and curious to see what the world of Isca Pantheon would throw at us next. Also, it’s set in the UK- Exeter, to be precise. Bonus points!
Talia herself was an engaging main character, too: feisty and determined, she’s likeable and surprisingly resourceful, throwing the world of the Pantheon into disorder. She’s almost too capable, but I liked that! The only thing I didn’t like was her love triangle with her childhood friend Max and newcomer August; that felt forced. Though Max is a fun, warm character, August seemed a little wooden, and his romance with Talia a little too strained, for me really to invest in it. Similarly, the villain of the piece, Octavia, was a bit one-note, generic ‘evil’, for me to really root against her in an Umbridge kind of way. Also, she was far too lenient towards August- he got away with some pretty eyebrow-raising treason. That was a shame, because all of the other supporting characters- Unus the Cyclops, and Aelia the doctor- were rounded, believable and interesting.
That said, though, the story is entertaining and breakneck: Talia and August tear up the Pantheon and take us from the upper classes to the ‘proles’, or genetically-modifed sub-classes, all the way to the dungeons. It was interesting and detailed- I would have liked to spend more time finding out how Isca Pantheon really worked and what it would be like to live there- and there are more plot twists than you can shake a stick at. Kenney really knows how to keep her readers interested, and how to write a great action scene; I was hooked the whole way through.
All in all, this is a well-written, entertaining romp of a ride that takes us on a rollercoaster ride through several genres and keeps the readers guessing until the end. If you’re looking for something gripping, in the style of The Fire Sermon, then this is for you!

Book of Fire is a brilliant dystopian novel telling the story of Talia, who discovers she is the guardian of a very important book, a role she inherits from her grandfather just before the forest is raided and her grandfather, brother and lifelong friend are captured by Insiders.

The Insiders must not find out that Outsiders exist, but Talia will stop at nothing to get her family back, even as she discovers the dark and sinister experiments happening on the Inside and their desire to get their hands on her book.

There is a lot of world-building very early on, which is important to the story but meant it took a while for me to really click with the book; once I did, I was hooked.

The characters are complicated: Talia's grandfather is endearing and sacrifices himself on the mission to save someone else, but as the story develops we discover how ill-informed Talia is and how little he has prepared her for the burden of responsibility that the book places on her. Talia herself is rash and focused solely on saving her family which leads to her making sometimes stupid decisions. She forms a predictable romance with Insider August, but their story  leaves us wanting more, and we aren't sure until the very last moments which side August is loyal to. Unus, an experimental creature who should be bad, is one of the most wonderful charactets and a highlight of the book for me.

The concept of Insiders and Outsiders and a genetics programme with unusual experiments designed to perfect humanity had echoes of both Allegiant and The Hunger Games. I think fans of these novels would enjoy Book of Fire. I certainly did, and I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.