While the premise of the book was interesting the overall execution was rather bland. The book itself simply felt too easy and wrapped up too quickly. Obviously this is a standalone so it has to be wrapped up in 350 pages but it almost didn’t feel earned.
The characters were also rather bland and not nearly interesting or compelling enough for me to care about their conflicts.
Overall an interesting story but poor execution.

➽ <b>This Golden Flame is such a fantastic Fantasy debut, I wish more people knew about it!</b> This book was really well-written and engaging, one of the top new YA Fantasy books I've read! This Golden Flame has an interesting, concise worldbuilding and manages a seamless introduction into the world. The author knows her craft and I was impressed by how easily she got me invested in the book! This Golden Flame is about an <b>island nation called Eratia that uses rune-like magic (called the Script) and used to have huge automatons</b>. Because it's comprised of many small islands, the nation needed its automatons as a defence... only <b>they were deactivated</b>. The scholars of the so-called Scriptorium are finding a way to undo it, but mostly to enhance their own power. While the Script is used by everyone equally in the surrounding countries, <b>Eratia only allows the most privileged to study the runes</b> and become Scriptmasters. Orphans like our main character Karis, have to make do with whatever scraps of knowledge they can find. It was super interesting to see the contrast between the elitism in Eratia and the other nations that we get to know through other characters throughout the book!

➽ <b>Karis is an orphan who's searching for her brother.</b> She used to live on the street but then was <b>forcibly shipped to the Scriptorium</b> as a worker. Unfortunately, her <b>brother Matthias was sent away for disobedience</b> and she's trying to find a way to locate him and break out. As a lowly acolyte, Karis isn't allowed to learn the Script and had to teach herself how to draw and execute runes as best as possible. <b>Dane</b> - a fellow orphan - is the only friend she has and even he feels disconnected as his fighting skills made him rise to the top of the Scriptorium. Meanwhile, Karis is stuck at the bottom with no way to gain recognition or grow. <b>She's caring and determined but also used to shutting others out and only sticking to her goals</b>. After a life of being mistreated, she doesn't see why she should trust others or believe in a higher cause. I loved her internal struggle and the fact that Karis is aroace!! There are some romances involving side characters, but the focus is on her <b>friendship with Alix and bond with her brother Matthias</b> 🥰

➽ <b>Alix is the most life-like automaton there is</b>. His father & creator made him look like a human, but when <b>Alix wakes up it has been centuries and not only is his father dead ... he's also framed as a villain for deactivating the automaton army</b> of Eratia. Karis is the one who activates him and shows him unusual kindness ... but the Scriptorium seeks to use him like a tool in order to restore the automatons for their own purpose. I loved how <b>Alix struggles with his agency and humanity</b> where explored. He's got an book with him that can be used to control him via runes. Yet he cannot get rid of it, or be far from it. It's easy for people to decide to control him like a thing instead of a person, taking away his free will. He's also scared of becoming a monster and questions his true purpose. I <b>loved his friendship with Karis</b>, the first human who treated him like a person. They have their ups and downs, but I liked the dynamic and how their POVs drive the story!

➽ <b>The story was the perfect mix of plot and character-focused!</b> Karis, Alix and Dane escape the Scriptorium, but now they're on the run and in big trouble. While Karis wants to find her brother, Alix wants to find out what happened back then with his father and how to get his memories back. The trio also finds themselves unwillingly getting closer to the rebellion that is brewing in Eratia. <b>Many people are opposed to the Scriptorium's rigid and elitist rules and are fighting for a change</b>. We even have a <b>pirate crew</b>, led by the fierce and determined Zara, who has a bone to pick with the Scriptmasters. I loved the secondary cast and the fact that <b>Karis gets drawn into the rebellion</b>. She's not thrilled about it, but it might be the only way to find Matthias. I loved her reluctant approach to the rebellion, given that she sees no point in fighting when no one ever fought for her!

This was a great fantasy and the world building was very clever, I loved the concept and found myself being fully lost in the plot

This was a fun read with a diverse cast of characters. It had an interesting premise and world. While I enjoyed it, I didn't love it as much as I thought I would but I think lots of other people will enjoy this story.

This book was just FUN. I really liked the concept once it got up and running, and obviously loved the aroace rep! The magic system and the automatons were fascinating.

I loved Karis's determination to find her brother and how she ends up waking Alix. Her determination to learn in order to achieve her goals was really relatable, and I definitely felt for her when she was thinking about how she differs from Dane. Alix was just wonderful. His story is heartbreaking but sweet at the same time. I just wanted to hug him.

I also adored the pirates (who wouldn't, let's be honest)! I did however want more from the villains of the piece, and more from the politics. We all know I love a good bit of political intrigue and this definitely had potential for more of it than we got.

A strong first book, and I will definitely be checking out future works by Emily. 4 stars.

I ... I was just disappointed.

Is that too harsh of a way to put it? The premise was so interesting, the lure of the rep of an asexual main character, Hellenic vibes? I was sold.

And then it just didn't meet any expectations. I don't know if it was the writing style, or the speed, but the balance was off and the axis of the book titled out of my degrees of focus.

First and foremost, why could all I picture was a small, barren rock in the middle of the sea and about 27 iron giants sticking up here and there? Descriptions were just lacking, there was no emotional connection to the characters and I felt as if the wonder that it sounded like was meant to be intended had died long ago with the Automatons. There was no real tension of any kind, no stakes and it just felt like the characters were made of carboard dancing along a Van Gogh painting.

Secondly, can we please not hype up books as if the story actually revolves around their sexuality so much. I was expecting it to be a key element of the story and it just wasn't. Which is fine, don't get me wrong, but there was so much hype put on this book for that when really, wouldn't it just be better to have praised it for including diverse sexuality characters without lying that it was the entire focus? This is more a gripe with the community and reviewers than the writing, but the real sad part is I can see why they did.

It was because there wasn't a whole lot more interesting things going on that the fact the main character didn't immediately fall at anyone's feet ... and yet the vibe behind the instalove trope was still there. The MC is instantly enraptured by the boy-Automatons presence and may as well have been a proxy for the blind loyalty, and total tonal shift of the book leading to that point that is usually caused by instalove. Hell, even the part before it was rushed so you know the story was just rushing to push these two characters together, even if it was to develop a friendship rather than a romance. It served the same, boring, worn-out plot device to make two characters care if the other one lived or died and it just, fell flat.

Lastly, this might be again more an issue with those who marketed it and put out early reviews, but can we be clear if it's inspired by ancient Greece, or set in ancient Greece. The lack of definition really confused me and pulled me out of the story, not only because I was unsure where in the world this was taking place, but also when. Can we have more than the briefest of explanations why the world is like this now? Can we have some kind of insight into the larger world than seems infinitely more interesting than a set of characters than are more of sketches than finished pieces.

YA doesn't have to be like this, it doesn't have to be flat and without any kind of emotional intelligence or purpose. And this really should have been a middle grade for it's inability to cater to it's original targeted group's intellect and almost talk down to those reading it because it expected the reader to not want or expect anything more than the hollow landscape it gave. Young Adults are not stupid, they can follow along the more emotionally and socially complex story that was promised, instead of the empty puppet show we were given. I feel this might not be the writers fault. Editors and beta readers and so many more people should have picked up on the fact it wasn't representative of it's age category and could have been so much more with just a little more emotional development. It makes me hesitant to think that perhaps this is what they expected from an Asexual character, a complete lack of emotional competency, and what they thought was good representation. And it's not. Asexual people have emotions, they are unique and interesting, they just aren't interested in sexual activity. And for a YA novel that shouldn't have been in the picture anyway. Kharis was a teenager going through some horrific stuff. And it was an insult to readers the same age and people coming in for the rep to see nothing but a two-dimensionally emotionally numb character.

I just. I expected better. This fell more flat than one of those crappy hunger games dystopian knockoffs. It should have been picked up on far before publishing there was something missing.

2.5 stars

Eratia is ruled by the Scriptorium, a group of scholars who are obsessed with bringing the once unstoppable automaton army back to life.
Karis is a reluctant acolyte of the Scriptorium who tore Karis and her brother apart.
Then Karis comes across a human-sized automaton one day and reanimates him.
Together with the automaton who is called Alix, Karis sets off to find her brother and help Alix to remember his past.
How far is Karis willing to go to save the people she loves?

Fantasy is my favourite genre, so I was excited to read this novel. However, I ended up being a bit disappointed.
Karis and Alix were both likeable and relatable protagonists, but I don't feel that I really connected with either of them. None of the other characters particularly stood out to me, but I did like the diversity.
The setting was interesting and gave me Roman/Greece vibes. I liked the concept of the automatons and the runes that brought them to life and controlled them.
The plot was enjoyable to begin with, but after a while I did find myself losing interest. However, I did keep on reading, wanting to find out what happened at the end. Nothing that happened really shocked me and I wasn't gripped. I also didn't feel very invested in what happened.
The writing style was easy to follow.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, and as a YA fantasy it doesn't stand out for me.

Overall, this was an okay, mixed read.

A really phenomenal read! This story had me hooked from the very beginning and was difficult to put down. Can't wait for the next installment.

The good: The Ace-rep in this book is wonderful! Three cheers for that.
The bad: This must be the unrealistic battle between good and evil since the second Breaking Dawn movie... Very Stephanie Meyer, the whole thing, sadly. I've been looking forward to that book.

I received a free ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

trigger warning
<spoiler> trauma, grief, kidnapping, implied torture, memory loss </spoiler>

One day, Karis happens to find an automaton in a dark cave, but this one is not like anything she has ever seen. It's smaller, for one, and when she touches it, it <i>awakes</i>.

We have a setting inspired by Ancient Greece, and compliments to the author on the attention to clothing! Did not see one error there, which is rare in a time when there are still people that think they all wore togas. (Hint: Toga is a Roman thing.)
In the beginning, I was very irritated that the term rune was used to mean weird symbol to do with magic. I <i>know</i> that's how it's done in speculative fiction, but I'm still too much in my training to not raise my eyebrows at that.

I liked the discussions about the automaton being a subject, not an object. It was not done in these terms, it was rather a discussion about pronouns, which also is very welcome. I liked the diversity which did not feel mandatory but organic. That's how these people are, and it's simply a coincidence that so many of them happen to be queer.

Apart from all that, I found the plot not very thrilling and kinda predictable. It was an okay read, hence three stars. I think younger audiences will devour it.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

This Golden Flame is a completely gripping YA fantasy with a refreshingly original plot and diverse cast of characters. The story is set in a world with a magic system involving runes and a dormant automaton army that the magic can unlock. The world-building is very strong with such a creative magic system. The characters are diverse and very fun to go on this journey with. There is even a crew of queer pirates! If you're looking for a fun, original YA fantasy, look no further.

This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria is the story of Karis, a girl separated from her family long ago. She lives on an island belonging to the Scriptorium, a faction set on reactivating an automaton army. But then, Karis accidentally awakens Alix, an automaton with a mind of his own who has been deactivated for two centuries. This starts her on a quest that involves finding her family and rebellion. It is a compelling YA novel about standing up against an oppressive regime and fighting for what you believe in, but not an outstanding one. It feels like quite a few other recent titles, fitting well into the market but not innovating it. What I did really like about This Golden Flame is that Karis is outspokenly ace, and the story focused on friendships rather than romance.

I was drawn to this book with its asexual protagonist - I rarely see ace rep in fantasy, so that's exciting!

Karis is a fantastic heroine - very relatable in her desperation to be reunited with her brother, persistent in her scheming to find him, utterly bold and fearless, and a tad vexing in her recklessness, but still sympathetic. I liked how her asexuality was presented without any angst at thinking that she's broken, simply a wistfulness at the closeness other people can enjoy without feeling incomplete at not sharing that experience. Karis can be self-absorbed and makes a spectacularly unwise decision as a result, but I appreciate how well-rounded she is with human foibles.

Alix is a total cinnamon roll and so different from the usual robot-type characters! He feels emotions like humans do, which might seem like a cheat, but he wrestles a great deal with the nature of his creation and purpose for his existence, which is a fascinating journey to explore. It's also a great mystery as he's linked to a villainous figure whom Alix remembers as a loving father, and there's a cool arc as he tries to reconstruct what exactly happened in the past and what his role is in the present. 

There's a fabulous use of the found family trope, I love the secondary characters, especially Dane (Karis' childhood friend) and Zara (badass pirate queen)! The group dynamics were so much fun and while there were cute romantic relationships in the background, the main focus was on platonic and familial relationships, which I really enjoyed.

THIS GOLDEN FLAME is an inventive, original, fast-paced fantasy with neat world-building, endearing characters and a thrilling plotline, I highly recommend it!

(3.5 stars, rounded up)

My thanks to Emily Victoria, Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

This Golden Flame follows Karis in her journey to escape the Scriptorium and find her missing brother. The Scriptorium don't care about anyone or anything except the pursuit of unlocking the secret to awakening the ancient automaton army. One day, Karis finds a hidden automaton on the island that she lives on, and manages to wake him up.

Alix has no idea that 200 years have passed since he was last awake. He doesn't know that the world he lives in sees his creator as their nation's biggest traitor, or that this man is the reason that the automatons are no longer awake. Alix has very little of his memory either. Together with Karis, the two set out to find their answers. The Scriptorium of course will not stand for it, and begin to hunt Karis down.

I enjoyed this book. I really liked the cast of characters who I felt were quite diverse. I wasn't sold originally on the automaton part of the novel but I'm glad that I stuck with this book.

One thing I really appreciated about this book was the queer rep in it. With a main character who is asexual, another who is gay, and a non binary character, this book did a really good job of including characters that gave a better representation of the world we live in now. Lots of people use reading as an escape from real life, but the lack of representation can be frustrating.

Something else I really enjoyed about this book was the fact that there was no heavy romance. A lot of times fantasy can focus more on a main character's journey in love than their greater purpose, so I thought it was quite refreshing in that regard. There is romance in the book, of course, but these instances are very few and far between - the first mention of romantic relationships isn't until well over half way into the book.

Overall, an enjoyable standalone novel, and I look forward to reading more from Emily Victoria in the future.

This is a strange book for me to review. It wasn't bad by any means but the word that first comes to mind to describe it for me, is serviceable, which I don't think is particularly flattering.

I think we stay on the surface a bit too much and the world and it's history could be given more detail. We get a bit of repetition in the thoughts of the two POV characters, which is true to life but doesn't always mean the best crafting of voice.

I think if Dane had a POV this would have been a bit stronger. A POV of someone who didn't hate the Scriptorium at first learning about the horrors they had been perpetrating and changing his mind. The divided loyalties and then doubling down with the team would have been a good arc.

I would definitely read more from this author to see if she can go a bit deeper with her world and her characters.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This Golden Flame had such an amazing and fresh premise. I was largely drawn to it because of the representation. Not a lot of YA fantasies has an ace character, so I was pretty delighted that the main character is ace. However, there were a few things that fell a bit short that lead me to give it 3 stars.

The novel starts off with our protagonist, Karis, as she attempts to break into a room that held information regarding her missing brother. In doing so, she accidentally awakens an automaton named Alix. Alix is not a normal automaton, you see, he's the first ever living one. Chaos ensues and now Karis and Alix, along with her friend Dane, are forced to be on the run.

I largely enjoyed the plot. It was fun and enjoyable. But it brought nothing new to the table. The villain was evil for the sake of being evil and there were no high stakes. Everything was tied up well into a neat little bow. I expected a story with higher stakes. Although the action was definitely prominent, I felt that the book lacked plot twists to keep me engaged.

I really enjoyed the world building and characters. the world building was easy to follow and new. I enjoyed reading about the runes and automatons. Alix was my favorite character. It was refreshing to read from his POV as he tries to find a place for himself in the world. His worries and struggles resonated with me.

Overall, this was a solid read. My reading experience was somewhat in the middle. I am definitely interested in what Victoria puts out next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Emily Victoria's first novel is a unique and inclusive fantasy novel. If you are looking for YA with representation of all kinds, this should be top of your to-read list. Karis is an aro/ace protagonist, which is so rare and so refreshing. I loved her, and her POV.

Alix was a really interesting character as well, being an automaton, but his persepective felt very similar to Karis's. I wish there had been more of a difference, perhaps something interesting with the fact that he's not human.

I love a good fantasy map and this one was just so beautiful. The writing was simplistic enough that following them around Eratia didn't really need a map, but I always love when they're included. On the simplistic track though, this one was quite simple and safe. Main girl, bad guy, rebellion. You probably can guess the general shape of the story from there.

I'll be really interested to see Victoria's next book, maybe something a little more daring, but hopefully keeping the fantastic representation she's been able to achieve.

3 stars.

Unable to review as document was not download in time and sent to my kindle.. Really sad as wanted to read, however have added to my wish list!

Thanks for the opportunity and approving me in the first place.

I loved the representation in this book. But unfortunately the book wasn't for me. I know it's young adult but still this felt too nice and as if there wasn't any consequences in the story. It's really basic good vs evil but the evil didn't truly feel evil. The magistrate is supposed to be evil but we don't really seem him being evil. This book isn't bad per se but i expected more i think. I've read the same story of a rebellion against an evil ruler and i just wishe this one had more twists and was a bit more unique.

Interesting concept - elements of Ancient Greece mixed with automatons really appealed to me - but I felt the pacing was off. There's enough plot in this book for a series and events and relationships progress too quickly.

Great to have ace representation in a main character but I'd have liked to have seen more fleshing out of Karis.