2.5 stars

My review will go live in mid April on my blog

I wanted to like this book - revolution in a world inspired by the Spanish Inquisition, and magic able to drain memories - but I just couldn't.

I was never drawn into the world or story, never understood Renata so I never wanted her to succeed. She was just... there, doing things. I had no connection to her and never found her particularly likeable. She was both too rude and too trusting at the same time.

It felt like a book where either nothing was happening, or so much was happening that I couldn't follow it. There were sections where I couldn't find the through line, couldn't work out what linked the series of scenes and information she stumbled upon. It was like a random jumble of events that she hadn't instigated, but she just happened to find all the information she needed.

She was so careless with her magic, using it constantly (and often by accident, despite all the precautions), and yet she wasn't found out. Or, when she was, she was able to somehow get that person (who hated her) not to tell on her. It was stretching belief a little.

There are also some "twists" and "reveals" that are blindingly obvious and I kept wondering how they couldn't piece all the clues together until the end. And, of course, when she's finally told and realises it, she has a change of heart about several characters.

All in all, it was a disappointing read.

I would like to thank Zoraida Córdova & Hodder & Stoughton for my copy of the ARC. Due to this kind gesture, I have decided to leave an honest review.
Ren wants to be trusted by the Whisperers, the rebellion means everything to her but when you grew up in Palace and Justice Mendez is basically your surrogate father, trust does not come easy. In a world where tension is tight, magic is wanted but only on a leash, who is a friend and who is foe.

Ok, so I won't lie it took me so long to get into this book. It took over a week for me to make myself sit and make myself read it. Once I got to around 30% I was hooked and finished it that night or shall I say 6 AM this morning lol. One thing I did struggle with was the typos and some parts didn't seem to make sense but I put it down to being a non-checked ARC.

The story is pretty good, did I guess what was going to happen... yes. I think I may have read my fill of YA books like this but it didn't make me enjoy it any less. The magic was awesome, and I loved how it all worked. The world-building was pretty simple but effective I would say. The story contradicted itself at times and I can't stop thinking about these lol. There is a bit at the start of the story where Esteban is confirming about what Ren is seeing, he says you could resist me if you bothered to try. Obviously, Ren doesn't see the point as it she feels that it would make people suspicious but around 40% she says "Esteban taught me how to control my mind when someone tries to Skim it. Like all magics, it requires practice and every Ventari has different strengths" ehhhhh what?! I couldn't get this out my head lol.

I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters until we meet Leo, he stole my heart! You can tell from the start who's side he is going to be on and I just loved his overall character. I also found love for Nuria, strong, determined and not foolish she really does make you proud. Our leading lady does start to grow on you and you actually do start to feel sorry for her because it looks like everyone just wants to use her for her powers! I started to like Cas nearer the end of the book, I think he will grow to be a good strong character.

I will certainly carry on with this series, once you get past that first hurdle it is totally worth it! I must advise it really is a slow burner so if you like fast-paced I wouldn't say this ones for you unless you grit and stick with it! I am excited to see what the second book brings!

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"You're wrong, you know." "It was bound to happen," he says, "but whatever about?" "From where I'm standing, you look like a rebel to me."

‘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.

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!

Thank you, NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I knew I had to read this from the moment I read the synopsis.

I did feel like we were thrust into a story where a lot of events had already happened with no explanation at the start but I assure you it's not like that for long.

Ren is such a good character and she has a lot of traits I feel a fair few introverted people would see in themselves. Especially as she seems to feel like the entire world rests upon her shoulders.

I loved the magic and the world-building in this story and it was somewhere I found myself easily lost in the story. I am looking forward to the sequel

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+

As soon as I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it.

This book had me on the edge of my seat and when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about this world that Zoraida Córdova has created. Córdova’s writing style is seamless and before you know it you’ve read 100 pages and haven’t realised it. I mean, she had me near to tears in the first handful of chapters! Incendiary has a good pace and very little filler. I’m a huge fan on the magical system and the idea that there are different types of abilities.

I liked Ren, our main protagonist, who is shunned for her magical ability and finds herself having to distance herself from others. I found that the way the story progressed with the use of Ren’s powers were what kept me hooked on the story. I found it to be an interesting way to world build and develop her as a character.

My only issue with this book was the first 10-20%, I honestly felt like I had come in to a story that was already built up. I felt like I had missed something and a lot of the world building that happens at the beginning of a new series.

Overall this was a very enjoyable read and did not disappoint with all it’s twists and turns! I’m excited to read the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Renata can steal memories, leaving her victims a shell of themselves. This is the magic she must master if she is going to save the person she lives the most when he is snatched from her...

To begin with, Incendiary was quite hard to follow with very little world building and an immediate launch into action that made very little sense without context. As it progressed, this did improve with the introduction of what was actually a very interesting magic system.

Although I really loved the concept, I wasn't a big fan of the execution. The history and the magic were really interesting, but I found the actual events of the book a little boring. I can't quite put my finger on what it was, but there was something about the book that I just couldn't connect with. It was difficult to motivate myself to finish it, but I'm glad I did since the last few chapters were probably the highlight. I'm just not sure I'll ever pick it up again.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and will be submitted to Amazon after release.

I loved the Brooklyn Bruja books so this was a must read. It’s fast paced and dramatic with an engaging cast and a unique magic system. There are elements of 15th C Spain and the inquisition woven in to the plot too, which was interesting. The start was a little slow going but I blazed through the book after the halfway point. Good fantasy which didn’t tick all my boxes but will definitely be another reader’s favourite.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I was really underwhelmed.

First 20% of the book, I found myself looking up on Goodreads and online if this was a sequel. I felt I could not really understand the world building and what was going on. Rather, Renata, the protagonist, spoke like she took it for granted that the reader was able to understand certain references. And I was like: "Wait, what?". That's why I felt like I was reading a sequel, or like it was a continuation of something. Did I miss any other series based in the same world?

When I read a story, I love reading the unpredictable. For this one, I kind of figured out half way through where the plot was going... Like you know... the evil person was not so evil and so on... Also, those revelations in the last pages, I saw those coming as well. While I can see how the writer was building up the tension to the big reveal, for me it felt more like dragging it to the end.

Finally... I couldn't connect with Renata. She was too unstable as a character. Sometimes she would be strong, sometimes she would just be too dramatic.

Incendiary is set in a fantasy world inspired by Inquisition-era Spain. The concept of having a character who can steal memories intrigued me. But while the world and concept were interesting, this book was in some ways disappointing.

The opening few chapters grabbed my attention, but there was a lot of new information for the reader, some of which could have been explained better. I did feel a bit lost at times with all the new words and concepts. It was never really explained why Ren is occasionally referred to as an Incendiary, and since that’s the title of the book, it’s a shame that doesn’t come across. I like that we were thrown right into the story, but that did mean I found it a bit difficult to get my head around the magic system. There is a lot of exposition which makes the pacing drag. The first section of the book is very exciting and the last section is also very gripping, but the middle was quite slow and didn’t keep me hooked.

Ren is a good protagonist. While she’s shunned by society because of her magic, she’s also looked upon with mistrust by the Moria because her magic is rare and seen as dangerous. She has the ability to steal people’s memories, and if she steals too many she can leave a person as a Hollow. This creates some great conflict, as Ren doesn’t really fit in anywhere, and it also means she has a lot of internal conflict which is what drives a lot of the story. However, many of the reveals come from memories Ren has stolen. While she is an active rather than passive character, she doesn’t do much to work things out for herself at times, the reveals for the reader are kind of handed to her.

We don’t really get to know many characters other than Ren, especially in the middle of the book. She’s very isolated, which is part of the plot, but that means there aren’t many other characters for the reader to get to know and connect to. There are other characters I liked, but I didn’t feel that I knew them very well.

Without giving too much away, in the latter part of the book there is an escape from a prison which is far too easy. Why are there no guards? It’s supposed to be a super secure prison, but Ren escapes within a couple of paragraphs. That’s it. There’s no tension or suspense because she practically just walks out of the door.

While I enjoyed the book, I didn’t really connect with it enough. The middle is too slow and Ren’s thoughts go round in circles quite a lot which gets a bit repetitive. There are a lot of twists, especially towards the end of the book, which redeemed it somewhat. I wasn’t expecting how it would end, and takes the story down a different path for the sequel, which does intrigue me. I just wish it had been that good all the way through.

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.

"All truth changes depending on who tells the story."

Incendiary was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I wasn't disappointed.
Let's start off with the writing style, shall we? I found it to be very comfortable. I didn't know I'd read 125 pages until I checked to see what time it was because I had to make dinner. The writing flows very nicely and has a pace that's absolutely right for the story. So much happens, all the time, and you need a comfortable pace for that otherwise you'll get overwhelmed. But Zoraida Córdova did it just right.

I have to say, I felt more for Dez as a character than I did for Renata. I don't know why, but Ren and I just didn't connect the way I hoped we would. The prince though, he's one hell of a character, and that's exactly what makes him interesting to read about. His history, his struggle and eventually his twist in character is exactly what makes you love him, even though he's the enemy!

Plot wise, I very much enjoyed it, but I did felt at times that either a scene was too short or it dragged on a little too long. Not that I minded that much, as I said, I read this book far faster than I anticipated and I have about 5 pages of notes in my notebook, but it did bring small lulls to the story that shouldn't have to be there.

Overall, it was an amazing book with beautiful Spanish influences. I cannot wait to see how the next book picks up after this one, because of course this one ended on a cliffhanger! Highly recommend if you:
- Enjoy stories with different types of magic
- Enjoy books where you'll fall for the enemy in an instant
- Enjoy books where the twists and turns will leave you reeling for more.

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

This novel had quite a slow start and whilst that is not always a negative, I had to pause reading the book for a while and attempt it again a bit later. In terms of the content and the story, I felt it was unnecessarily vague at the start. I know it can be nice to have a big lightbulb moment in the middle of a story when you finally join the dots and understand the significance of the first chapter, but this novel didn't do much to ever deliver that anticipated moment. However, I was able to become invested in the plot during from about the middle of the story as this is when the pace picked up. Unfortunately multiple of the “big reveals” at the end were underwhelming as I had anticipated them much earlier. Nevertheless, the plot itself was engaging enough to hold my attention until the end.

Overall I liked the idea of the story more than the story itself. It feels like somewhere along the lines the author became slightly muddled. I don't only have negative things to say though! I did really enjoy the author’s ability to describe the setting, and their word choice throughout. This resulted in really easy and interesting visualisation of the various settings within this new world.

Overall I think this novel deserves 3 stars and I will recommend it to those who are willing to read a slow burner. I'm still very curious as to what will happen in the next book as it could complement this first novel well enough that it makes up for it's anticlimax. I shall definitely keep an eye out for future releases and hopefully get to review the next one as I think this story has a lot of potential.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Set in a spanish culture inspired world where people with special powers are being persecuted by an evil crown, this book is well written, the worldbuilding is steadily paced so not to overwhelm the reader, and the magic system is interesting.

The first third of the book was interesting enough to keep me reading, but although I cared for Ren straight away, I got a bit frustrated with this part of the story being focused around Dez and their relationship. I still got a good idea of what was going on outside the RenDez bubble, but by the time we get to the Assassin’s Creed scene I was reading another book on the side to avoid getting overly irritated.

After this Ren’s focus changes slightly and things get more interesting. The plot twist is predictable but welcome, and finally at the end of the book I was ready to enjoy it.

I will give it 3 stars, as I was not overly excited about the central story and I guess I read too many books lately which focus on people with special gifts/powers being persecuted. When the next one comes up I’ll make sure to interleave my reading styles.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!!
Firstly I’d like to thank Netgalley and @hodderbooks for the free eARC of this book to review. I’m fairly new to this and appreciate every chance given.
I’m struggling to know what to say and how I feel about this book unfortunately. I would rate it 3 or 3.5 stars I think because whilst there are some things that didn’t flow well for me, or just didn’t feel good, overall I enjoyed the story.
The Author has created a unique setting and magics system and Renata, the main character, has (and struggles with) the most rare and feared type. Is her magic a blessing or a curse? Where does she belong? And the King is trying to destroy all magic and gain control over all the lands.
It ends ready for the next book but not in awful cliffhanger so that was good.
I honestly can’t put into words what I didn’t like about this book - maybe it was something about the writing. But if you can overlook things like that and just concentrate on the story you should enjoy this book!

Well, I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. I will admit, during the first third or so of this book, I was tempted to put it down. I didn't find it gripping and I felt like reading it was a bit of a chore. It didn't help I didn't fully understand the world at this point.

However, after the first third, things get extremely interesting. The book focuses on Renata, a girl who has essentially memory stealing powers and is fighting against those who want to kill at her kind - the power wielding Moira. However, when she was a child, she was helping the enemy - the royal family. I found learning about her past extremely interesting, along with her exploring the castle and getting to know new people. It was exciting to continuously learn new information with Ren, if infuriating at points. I guessed the twists relatively early so it was frustrating to me when Ren would come to the wrong conclusions, or not figure something out, especially since she technically knows more than I do with all the memories she has.

For the reason that the first third is much less interesting than the rest of the book, I can only give this book 4 stars. However, I am definitely looking forward to the next book and am hopeful that it can get the full 5 stars. If you are a fan of fantasy and action, with a bit of romance thrown in, I recommend you pick this book up.

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.