The first thing I’ve said to anyone who’s spoken to me about Incendiary is how much I loved the different types of Moira magic. In this world if you have magic you’re one of four types, Persuari, Illusionari, Ventari, or a Robari. Where some are more rare or more common magics than others. Persuari can persuade others, Illusionari can create illusions, Ventari can hear others thoughts and Robari can take memories. Each of these also has a connection with different metals, which help amplify their powers.

Our main character, Renata, is a Robari and has the rarest kind of magic. Robari are also highly distrusted, but Renata even more so as she grew up in the palace under Mendez’s control. Throughout the book a lot of her decisions are based on the distrust from everyone else, and her self-hate because of her powers. Her development to overcome these issues was really well written though – I enjoyed her character arc and the possibility in the next book.

This book seems to hint a lot about politics and manipulation, but as our POV is Renata we don’t see enough of this. As she’s not in the know in either faction, the depth of these tensions isn’t brought forward until she steps out of line. Particularly when Alessandro and Nuria come into the book, we see a lot of scheming happening as they try to get themselves or others into higher positions of power.

Dez, Sayida, Margo and Esteban are all part of Renata’s unit and have… varying levels of whether they like her. They’re all Moira too, but have other powers which makes them more liked in the community where Dez is the son of the person in charge. I liked the relationship development throughout the book especially as Renata sometimes doesn’t think. She’ll run off to do a thing, and these people run after her to help or clean up. Each of these relationships also dictates how the story is pushed forward, and how Renata reacts to things which gave a lot of depth to the decisions made.

Incendiary doesn’t have a specific antagonist in the entire book. Mendez, Alessandro and Castien all go up against our main character at different points, but they also conflict with one another so it’s not a singular unit of “bad guys”. Castien especially is a character you can’t quite get to know because Renata has already made up her mind about him. He defintely has information that would help Renata, but her bias removes our ability to get to it. This was frustrating but I’m intrigued to see how this resolves itself in the next book. But all three “villains” defintely had an element of “is this person really important and bad?” and it kept a level of interest to find out more.

Whilst Renata is back into the castle she is helped by Leo to keep an eye on her. I loved Leo as a character, he really was just a good person who wanted to help. There were a few other helpful faces too, but I don’t want to spoil anything. I really enjoyed how certain people were placed throughout the book that helped increase Renata’s ability to trust in others and rely on people besides herself.

Overall, the plotline isn’t unique at all. There’s a magic community that is in hiding/fighting against the monarchy. The monarchy has it’s own magic wielders to help fight, and has a weapon. The main character needs to find and destroy the weapon, by going undercover. But all the little misdirects give it something a little different to what I’ve read before. By the end of the book there’s quite a few surprises which help keep you hooked, and there’s enough hints in hindsight to guess these surprises too.

Positives of Incendiary
Character and relationship development
Moira magic system
Negatives of Incendiary
Common plotline

Storytelling: After finishing the first chapter, I knew without a doubt that Incendiary had stolen my heart. Ren's journey is a powerful one and it will not leave anyone indifferent -- going back to the place that took everything from her to save those who yield magic from a hideous destiny was terrifying for her, but Ren's determination did not waver. Yes, I will gush a lot about Ren in a few moments.

The main outline of the story may not be unique, but the execution and the structure of the plot are brilliantly done. Even if one can sense a secret here and there, many twists still catch the reader off the guard. One of the things I enjoyed the most about Incendiary is how the pace of the story changed as Ren regained her missing memories (as a memory thief, Ren holds the memories of others, but her memories of a time before being rescued by the Moria are hidden deep inside her). The more Ren discovers about herself, the more the pace of the narrative quickens. The story is revealed to the reader at the same time Ren unveils the secrets of her time at the palace -- the reader never knows more than Ren does.

Characters: There is so much I want to say about Ren, but so little that I can say about what I loved about her without spoiling Incendiary. As I wrote, the story's pace changes at the same time that Ren finds missing pieces of her past. Throughout the story, she learns a lot about herself and starts questioning everything and everyone around her (amazing character growth!).

Due to being a Robari and having been taken to the palace of Andalucia when she was just a child and raised by the Justice, Ren has always felt a fish out of water among the Whispers. The rebels, who want to overthrow the vicious royal family of Puerto Leones, do not trust Ren. However, her magic is rare and a necessary weapon for the cause. Even after doing whatever she can to belong in their midst, Ren still feels the rebels don't trust her nor her magic -- her magic is dangerous since it has the power to turn people into hollows (when Ren takes all the memories of a person, they become an empty shell); during her time at the palace Ren was unaware of what she was doing to the Moria the Justice brought to her. She was just a child! How can the Whispers hold it against her?!

I felt really bad for Ren because she did have a lonely life among her kind -- feeling that no one wants her around, she ends up building barriers between herself and the Whispers. I was glad Ren had Dez, who protected her and did whatever he could to convince her that she was not alone and mattered (yes, I shipped them hard from the very first moment and then my heart was crushed). Losing Dez, was heartbreaking for Ren -- especially because she did have responsibility for what happened to him. It pushed Ren right back into the hands of the royal family and the Justice -- once again, she was at the mercy of those who used her magic to destroy her kind. She put herself in danger for the Whispers (who I do not think that deserved her full dedication).

Back at the palace, Ren slowly regained some of her childhood memories and that changed everything she thought she knew. And, all I can say more without revealing major secrets is that even with her world turned upside down Ren does not give up. For me that just shows how brave she is. No matter how scary the past can be, it is a part of Ren. Without it, she cannot build her identity -- she is not complete without these forgotten fragments. In the end, Ren goes through an extraordinary journey (after the way Incendiary ended, I can't wait for the sequel and Ren's new journey), grappling to understand who she is and her place in the world as a Robari -- a Robari that everyone fears and wants to control.

World Building: As aforementioned, Incendiary is quite influenced by the Spanish Inquisition, a Christian tribunal responsible for one of the darkest moments in History, which was marked by religious intolerance and repression. In the world woven by Cordova, everyone who has magic finds themselves persecuted by the King's Justice. It is a cruel world for the Moria, who end up rebelling against the oppression of Puerto Leones and doing whatever they can to save their land from bigotry. Incendiary shows what intolerance can do to society -- if one does not stand up, darkness will take over. Regarding the magic system, I found it quite intriguing (there are four magic abilities and I adored how all of them are related to the human mind and senses) and it wasn't confusing as many other magical worlds out there.

With thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book took a while to really pique my interest. It's definitely more of a slow burn than some of the other books I've read recently. That being said, as this is the first in a series, it makes complete sense to not rush through the story - there isn't a need to get to the end as quickly as possible, because there are more books to tell the story with.

Renata's character is well rounded - she's not one sided by any means - and the guilt that she carries throughout the story is believable. She's not feeling guilty for small trifles, but real life or death situations in some cases. Her relationship with Justice Mendes is complicated and it really comes across in the writing. At times, Ren is just as lost as a teenager as she was as a child, and it makes her all the more endearing as a character. I also really enjoyed Leo as a character, and was pleased to see some LGBTQIA+ representation in this book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and am looking forward to the sequel.!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the first half of the year and I'm so happy that it lived up to my expectations. I was already invested in the plotting and betrayal that we see in just the blurb alone, and there was a lot of it - also 'brutal, enigmatic prince', I'm there for it.

I thought the way the world and the magic system were written was so interesting, the magic system especially. The fact that those with power are the ones that are hunted (literal witch hunt), and I liked the different types of magic that differen people have - Ren's powers are especially interesting as she can take memories from people with just a touch. I'm hoping we get more information about the different types of magic in the next book as it was my favourite thing about it (apart from that brutal, enigmatic prince I mentioned earlier - honestly I have a type okay). And there's a few twists which for once I saw coming, but I don't think everyone did because not many people guessed it on the Fairyloot readalong I joined in on. Which is a big deal for me because I never figure things out in books until just before they happen so I'm proud of this one. But regardless I'm excited to see how this twist continues into the second book.

So I really loved the wide range of characters, even thouhg the book is only told from Ren's perspective, there are so many different characters and they're all pretty distinguishable; whether that's by them being Moria (mnagical) or not, what power they have if they are Moria, their relationship with Ren, and generally just their actions and voices. If you haven't got my not so subtle hints by now, Prince Castian is my favourite character, which is terrible I know because he's literally the person the main character wants to kill, but nope he's my favourite. I love how we get to know him more aswell, through certain events that take place, which I cannot actually say more on.

I’m going to be honest – I didn’t think I was going to like this book when I started. It seemed to fit all the tropes I’d seen before, and I thought I could see exactly where it was going – silly now that I re-read the synopsis! I should have realized the twists the story would take, but I didn’t check it before starting, as I try to avoid refreshing my memory of books I requested ages ago, to go in with no expectations. Rather than rebels on the run, this story turns into a political intrigue and subterfuge, which I adored. After so many books that follow either plot line, I was very pleased with this combination of both. I distinctly the moment in the book I realized that the stakes were higher than I had thought before, and I was so there for that ride. I wasn’t sold on the magic system straight away – it reminded me of an odd blend of Allomancy from Mistborn and the Grisha magics, and it hovered on that fine line, where I wasn’t sure if it would be distinct enough to not annoy me. Luckily, it landed on the right side, and as the story wove on it stopped bothering me. I saw part of the bigger twists coming but that didn’t stop them from being entertaining and learning exactly what was going on, and there were a few that caught me completely by surprise!

This book ended up being a fun romp using some familiar ideas and tropes but twisting them just enough to be fresh and entertaining nonetheless. I’m very keen to see where this story goes, and was delighted when I found a finished copy with a stunning cover and artwork in my FairyLoot box!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a really interesting world and magic system, though it did annoy me that the Moria seemed to dislike one of their own because of the power they had. I felt that was a little unfair but I did really like Renata. The storyline was strong and I really liked the twists and turns. A very enjoyable fantasy whose sequel I am looking forward to.

I enjoyed the writing and the magic system in this one but the world building could have been developed more. The plot was also slow and the characters felt somewhat flat. The ending did make me interested in picking up the second book in the series though.

I am a shadow, I am a drop of ink. Vengeance in the night.
I’m a Robári.

Reading this book was like riding an elevator. For the first third of the story I was “meh”, then the second third “ooooh this is getting interesting” and then the last third of the story I just couldn’t stop reading and I was so disappointed in me when I had to put the book down because I needed to sleep. So this was definitely getting better and better as I read it even though I’m still a little confused about the magic system and all? I mean at the beginning I was “what are you talking about I don’t understand anything” and now I can say that I could explain it to someone else but there still are parts where I’m ??? Especially about Renata and Robáris. She can take memories out of people and they will forget them but at some point it seemed to me that they still kind of remembered the memory she took? Anyways I hope this will be better explained in book 2 since I sense we’re going to get a loooooot more about Robári powers and all. And the reluctant alliance? Oh gods I can’t wait!

“We are a flame that will never burn out.”

Unpopular Opinion

It was a struggle to get through this.

I didn't like Renata, the MC. She's a whiny teenager who thinks everyone and their grandmother is against her and everything that ever happened is because of her.

There were secondary characters, but they felt not really fleshed out. They seemed to either belong to the friendly foes, the villainous villains, or were plot tools.

The setting was interesting, but again, not really fleshed out. A bit more background information on Puerto Leones and Memoria would have been nice.

The same goes for the magic system, it might have been explained a little more, but this might have caused information dump.

The story features the usual YA tropes and hence is pretty predictable. I knew what the plot twist was before we even got close to it. Actually, that's what kept me reading, I wanted to see how many hints the author would drop along the way and how long the penny would stay suspended in mid-air before it eventually dropped for the protagonist.

**I was provided with a copy of the book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Taking place in a Spanish Inquisition-era inspired fantasy world, Incendiary follows a girl who possesses the rare (and feared) power of stealing memories with just the touch of her hand. As a child she was kidnapped and used as a weapon by the crown in their quest for power. However, she was rescued by a network of rebels and has spent years working with them to help others with magical abilities (Moira) to escape the kingdom. Though her power in particular means that next to no one has ever been able to fully trust her.

When there is a mishap on a particular rescue mission she is forced to dive back into the world of her past in order to save the future of her people, with only her own supressed memories and those she has stolen from other lives circling in her mind to accompany her.

Now I’m still a little on the fence about how I feel about this one.

Córdova’s writing and storytelling is beautiful. The beginning immediately draws you into the thick of the rebel movement the story centres on and introduces you to a world with a fascinating magic system. Renata is a protagonist you both feel and root for, yet something just wasn’t clicking for me with the story as a whole.

Memories play a massive part in the narrative and I absolutely loved how this shaped Renata’s character for us as well as the world and people around her. The various twists and secrets embedded in the story, though occasionally predictable, really keep you reading. However, I found that at times I was confused due to missing information – particularly when it came to connecting and understanding the actions and motivations of the various other characters in the book. Some of the reveals happened a bit too abruptly and without much previous explanation… Hence I found that I was not enjoying the book as much as I expected to.

I do plan on picking up the sequel though!
Final Rating – 3.5/5 Stars

Sometimes you anticipate a book so much, you're sure it'll get all your stars but then you read it and unfortunately, it gets the most average rating so now you simply wanna die cry. I won't say this doesn't have an interesting world or magics or a great writing but it definitely did not bring any character to life, for me, and that's a sure disappointment. The only two characters I found interesting got the least screen page time and I'll be reading the sequel for them.

Incendiary was... okay? Some aspects were more interesting than others, but I didn't feel captivated enough to care about the characters. It's just... I've already seen in other books this kind of story, so it didn't stand out as an original one. I also predicted some twists... Just saying. Maybe a reader younger than me could enjoy it more. It wasn't bad, just plain.

Incendiary was one of my most anticipated books of the year but sadly it ended up being a bit of a letdown. After a promising start, it soon becomes a mix of every YA fantasy trope you can ever imagine. Everything, from plot to characters, feels generic and, honestly, quite bland. I also found the world building to be a bit confusing and the plot twists totally predictable (if you've dabbled in this genre before, you can guess the ending pretty soon). The writing was fine so, though this didn't live up to my expectations, I'm sure I'll try another books from this author.

2.5/5

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this novel!

I have been very excited to read this book for a long time, I have seen so many people on Twitter absolutely loving it, so I was excited to start!

This is a YA fantasy novel, we meet our main character Renata who is part of a group of rebels trying to defeat the Royal Family and allow magic and its users to live in peace and stop being hunted through the land. Renata herself has the power to remove memories from others’ heads and make them totally forget the memory. Other powers in this world include the power to create illusions and the power to draw feelings out of people. I love the magic system and the world that Cordova has created. It is well thought out and developed, and the magical powers are intriguing.

This novel is non-stop action. It is a breathless, racing novel, and once you pick it up it is impossible not to become fully absorbed into the narrative. It has so many twists and turns too, I really had no idea what was going to happen next and I was very worried for the characters throughout!

One of the reasons I was so worried for them was because I loved all the characters. They are a wonderfully diverse group, they all have distinct and individual personalities, which the author did an excellent job of creating and consistently developing throughout the novel. Even the villains were multi-faceted characters who were nuanced and although not exactly sympathetic to them, I could understand some of their decisions and actions.

Overall I really enjoyed this novel! It is an excellent start to a new and exciting YA fantasy series, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!!

This was an unexpected gem! I fell in love with the world-building and the main character. The writer did an amazing job at characterization and the magic system.
Definitely recommended if you're a fantasy lover.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

As we all know I like a good magical book especially when magic has a price and the the magic system here was fantastic and original. The way in which Renata can take memories from other people was very interesting and that it came with a price.

But the story was hard to follow and without much world building you kind of just got thrown in to the mix and it was annoying

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I wasn't sure what to make of this book at first and it took me a little while to get into the writing style, but it was worth it. The story was pleasingly unpredictable and Ren was an engaging character. I could have done with a bit more worldbuilding and exposition about the Moria and their history but presumably this will be provided in subsequent books. A solid start to a series, and it was particularly nice to have Latinx representation in the fantasy genre.

Having never read anything by this author before, I really didn't know what to expect from this book, but I could never have imagined just how deeply I would find myself invested in these characters, the story, and this world. I haven't read a whole lot of Latinx inspired fantasy, but I was obsessed with the Spanish Inquisition-era world, the magic, and the cultural nuances that Zoraida Córdova included.

Renata's magic is possibly the most fascinating thing about this book, in all honesty, and that's saying something considering how interesting this entire world and cast of characters really are. Her ability to rip away your memories is absolutely terrifying, but her fear of taking too much and making more hollow souls prevents her from truly taking advantage of this strange power. No one trusts her, most also fear her. She feels as though she has no place in the world, and a lack of her own memories makes her feel even more alone. But that doesn't mean she wallows in it. She'll do anything to prove she's not a monster, even return to the place that tried to turn her into one. That takes incredible strength and courage, and Renata has those in spades.

Though this book starts off slow in a lot of ways, the pacing ramps up soon enough. There's a lot of build up, but the explosive conclusion makes it all worth it. Though the worldbuilding is superb, it's really the characters and the unique magic system that truly make this book stand out. Though it took me a while to understand the magic, everything about it fascinated me, from the various abilities to the different metals that can be worn to enhance specific powers. Though we focus mainly on Renata's abilities, the other Moria characters added a deeper layer to the magic system as a whole.

I absolutely adored this story from start to finish, and the ending just blew my mind. This book is filled with magic, betrayal, and repressed memories that tell the real story, and every single part of it was just fascinating. Though it's true that there were a lot of tropes, in my opinion, they were done right, and the emotional rollercoaster that Córdova takes you on is just spectacular. This was a fascinating first book, and I can't wait to explore the rest of the series as it's released!

Incendiary is an unputdownable historical fantasy set during the Spanish Inquisition. The prose is outstanding. The plot is original and filled with twists that keep readers glued to their seats. The magic system is fascinating and well-crafted. And the world-building is strong and vivid. Highly recommended to readers who are looking for something fresh in fantasy.

Throwing us into the middle of a battle that has been waging for a long time, the very start of Incendiary means that there will be no rest during this high stakes read.  This honestly started with a bang and it did not slow down. From the very beginning you have to keep up with the narrative. And I have to be honest, it was incredibly easy to do so.

Luckily, we follow Ren, she is flawed in her beliefs. Not only about herself but also about those around her and her cause. She is our anchor through all the chaos and through her we learn more about her world and what it actually means to weld magic. We learn about the structure of society and the place magic welders hold. And as more and more secrets are revealed you will have the same opinion Ren has. 

Filled with adventure, anticipation and shocking moments, Incendiary will sweep you off you feet and will not relent until every last moment is revealed. There are shocks, revelations and unexpected moments that will cause you to stop reading, gasp and make you beg for more.

One thing that did annoy me, was with so many reveals some of the questions I have have gone unanswered. I presume that this will be resolved in the next book. And, I didn't really think about my unanswered question until after I had finished reading and started writing this review. 

Incendiary  was not the book that I was expecting it to be. I don't know what I was after but this incredible book was so much more. And for that reason it makes it impossible to describe. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book, but I am already eagerly counting down the days.