The stability of the Sundered World has been deteriorating ever since the disappearance of its magik. Monsters now abound surviving territories. Jackson Harper, a sixteen year old unicorn rider, helps to slay those monsters as a sort of personal penance for previous misdeeds. He does this under the radar of the Unicorn Rider Regiment because he fears what would happen if they uncovered his past. But in a particularly close fight with a dragon, Jackson finds himself facing certain death, and the person who comes to his rescue happens to be a real stickler of a Regiment Rider: Moira, his long-lost childhood friend. Moira shows hostile resentment towards Jackson as soon as she realizes who he is, so initially, it doesn’t seem fortuitous that she might hold his fate in her hands. But then Jackson hears fragments of a cryptic prophecy, and the two are forced to work together as the fate of much larger things fall into their hands. Can the unicorns be trusted? Will they unravel the prophecy in time to save what's left of their world?

Told in first-person from Jackson’s perspective, the action accelerates quickly. The world-building seems a bit lacking in terms of physical environment, culture, and social systems. But the escapades are equal parts dire and amusing, as Jackson has both a foot-in-mouth and tongue-in-cheek personality. And the brand of unicorn lore in this book is refreshingly unique, since the unicorns are pretty much a self-organized band of defenders, and riders are not restricted to “pure” women, as per the norm.

Considering the characters, Jackson & Moira make an entertaining team. Their energies bounce off each other in a complimentary way. Jackson is generally impulsive and has a tendency to panic and use humor as a defense mechanism, while Moira‘s baseline is level-headed, focused, and seriously determined. On a deeper level, Jackson can actually be quite intuitive and empathetic. He can also be starkly honest when he lets down his guard. Moira, on the other hand, is compassionate and devoted deep down, but she’s proud, too. It takes her longer to open up. All the same, I found the romantic subplot cute. The chemistry is somewhat reminiscent of Ron & Hermione from Harry Potter. But the relationship progresses rather quickly. That may be realistic for a possible end-times romance, but I would’ve liked to see their connection grow over the next few books.
 
As for the plot, some aspects do seem a bit convenient. I think dramatically theatrical scenes are part of a deliberate vibe, though. There was one thing I really didn’t think made sense, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. For a YA book written for a younger audience, The Shadowed Flame surprised me more than I expected, especially where the prophecy was concerned. I guessed some things right early on, but also guessed some wrong, and only put certain pieces together as they were finally revealed. Of course, how and when the realizations come will be different for everyone. 

With themes of forgiveness, redemption, and loyalty explored in a fun, adventurous way, I would definitely recommend The Shadowed Flame to anyone who reads Middle-Grade/YA fantasy. But yes, especially if you liked Percy Jackson!

Thank you NetGalley and Naomi Hughes for providing me an eArc in exchange for my honest review.



Trigger Warnings mentioned by the author:

-Abusive father
-Monster fights/battle violence
-Description of bodies post-hanging (not too graphic, and not a person of color)
-Parent with PTSD flashbacks
-Parents sacrificing themselves to save a child's life
-Stabbing injuries

5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
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I’m stunned. The Shadowed Flame was pitched to me by my friend Rhys as “a cross between percy jackson and how to train your dragon but with unicorns” and I can attest: the humor and casual but action-packed writing style were both very reminiscent of the aforementioned media! In short: I adored it, and the last 20% had me screaming like a little kid. I loved seeing how the author dropped hints and foreshadowing into the story without making it too obvious, and laid the groundwork for the Drained world without making me, the reader, feel overwhelmed. The magic—or, in this case, magik—system was pretty simple and made sense… although the part about the rift and the prophecy lost me a little bit, to be honest. That small bit aside, the characters were memorable and distinct, and I loved the chemistry between Jackson and Moira! Betrayal and longing for a past friendship while slowly rebuilding trust and simultaneously throwing themselves into danger to protect each other made for A+ bonding and didn’t feel too insta-lovey. I know this book isn’t even released yet, but I devoured it in a few hours and I demand the sequel(s) IMMEDIATELY! An easy 5 stars for me.

First of all I wanna thank Net Galley, Naomi Hughes and Independent Book Publishers Group for giving me the chance to read this eARC that I absolutely loved!
Ok so this book started strong right on the first few chapters! Jackson with his unicorn finding a lot of dragons and discovering a new ability..
The concept of this book had me from the start... Unicorn riders? Wow that's something I haven't seen before and was so excited to read about.
The reveal of the Shadowed Flame left me shook and the Traveler too... I really didn't see that coming.
The world building, the details, the characters descriptions, everything was so well-written! But what was that ending? It wasn't even a proper ending, it left it all open to every possibility but, that fact, makes me wanna read the second one even more!

If I'm being painfully honest, most of this book is just forgettable. Yes, it has unicorns in it. But unfortunately most of it felt a little bland. The old-friends-to-lovers romance was a bit forced and unrealistic, and I didn't get excited about the plot. There were some cool twists, but nothing made me excited to pick it up to start reading again. I don't think I'll continue with this series.

I loved Naomi Hughes’ Mercurial, so I was excited to read The Shadowed Flame. It definitely didn’t disappoint! The Shadowed Flame is definitely for younger readers (like Harry Potter/Percy Jackson age) but I enjoyed it all the same. Another great read, Naomi!

Freaking fantastic. Jackson's hide-your-fear-by-joking personality shines through the deep, first person POV, allowing me to quickly connect with him and grasp the workings of unicorn magick.
I'm not opposed to the idea of unicorns, but I did think of them as sparkly creatures that only respond to the pure of heart. Here? Expect something along those lines, but with more darkness and coolness thrown in. So much thought is put into explaining their lore, and ultimately discovering their true origins, lending tons of depth to a magical species we typically associate with rainbows and glitter. So if you think unicorns are too immature for you, throw that thought out the window!
As for Moira, she stands on her own with her own goals and truly is a kick-ass character. I enjoyed watching her reconnect with Jackson and see the layers to her character be revealed bit by bit.
The book contains some really neat twists, with the most important one catching me off guard because I wasn't expecting it (my jaw literally dropped.) Looking back, I should've guessed.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I'm excited for what's in the next installment.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing the e-arc.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

Such a fun book! This is perfect for my classroom library--entertaining, realistic and sharp dialogue, distinctive characters, and just enough surprises to keep it interesting without feeling forced.

Thank you ever so much to IBPA and NetGalley for an eARC to Naomi Hughes' book "The Shadowed Flame." This is the first book in the series. My opinion is purely my own and unbiased.

Review: 5 stars.

I must admit, I have read Mercurial by Hughes prior to this (Again thank you to NetGalley for that eARC too) and I have fallen in love with the way she writes. This story follows our MC, Jackson. He is such a well thought out character and I am very excited to continue a journey with him in the books to come. His love interest and amazing partner in crime is Moira. I am absolutely in love with the way Hughes writes women. Moira is a unicorn rider and archer who is a total badass.
Overall, I adored this book and I will not rest until I can get my hands onto book 2. Thank you Naomi for writing such a spectacular book.

I want to thank Netgalley, Naomi Hughes, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

If people asks me to describe this book, I would say that this is so addicting to read. Even in the very beginning of the book, it's already amusing to read and I did not had a hard time getting into the story. Every time I finished a chapter I would always say "one more chapter" because I need to know what will happen next. I can't never get enough for this book! It is also intriguing with all the layers of mysteries surrounding the plot and the things that build those mysteries makes me so eager to know the answers. It's also fascinating when it comes to the part where the characters encounter and fight different types of mythical creatures. It was so good!

I like how this book doesn't over-flood me when it comes to world-building details. It gives me snippets here and there, so I can truly absorbed and understand the concepts and how things worked in this book. And that plot twist? OMG. I loved it! I did not saw it coming. I love how it destroys all my theories that I built from the start of the book but in a very amazing way. It was really great!

One thing that I think this book is lacking of is the more in-depth world-building. Yes, it gives details to certain things, but I feel like i'm needing more. Like who is in charge of this characters' world? Is there a government here? Or what are the cultures of these places that's been mentioned. I feel like it needs more expanding. There are also times when i'm not seeing what the actual plot of this book is. I feel like the events that happened are just consequences of the things that already happened.

As for the characters, I love them! I have read Mercurial by Naomi Hughes also before and I totally fell in love with that book's characters. The thing is, Naomi Hughes is so good at writing witty and amusing characters. And I can really see that signature of her in this book. Jackson's character is so amusing to read especially when he jokes or being humorous because he actually made me laugh whenever i'm reading that side of him. His personality also reflects on his choices and actions, that it really shows how good the author wrote his character. I also love the relationship between Jackson and his mother. They really love and protect each other. Luna is also precious in her own way. She is such a cinnamon roll. As for Moira, I love her character also because her serious personality balances with Jackson's witty-ness. They are actually adorable together.

Overall, I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed my time reading this one. This is one of the books that will not give you a hard time getting absorbed into the story and it's quiet addicting to read. So, I really recommend this to everyone!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

The Shadowed Flame by Naomi Hughes follows Jackson, a unicorn rider, defender of the territory. But he has to keep that a secret, because technically he’s supposed to be of pure heart, but his shady past says otherwise. However, when a dragon battle gets out of hand, he needs the help of a real rider: Moira Maldrigo, his ex-best friend and unrequited crush. But the unicorns, even bonded with riders, have dark secrets. And when Jackson and Moira stumble upon it, they’re caught in a battle bigger, and deadlier, than imagined.

Omg Naomi Hughes has not let me down yet. I love her writing style. For this book, it’s said to be a younger YA novel perfect for Percy Jackson fans, and it is EXACTLY that! The sarcasm and jokes that Jackson has, it’s like Percy. In dire situations? Jackson jokes like Percy. And I absolutely love it.

Romance: I was not really expecting a romance, but I was wrong. And I am SO glad about it. I love the romance between Jackson and Moira. It’s so cute and so pure, I love it.

Plot: at first I was a little hesitant about the plot, but that changed very quickly. I love it. It’s such an easy read that you don’t even realize you just read 100 pages. Hughes has a way with plot to keep you engaged, and it did nothing disappoint.

I can’t wait for the second book in this series! If you are looking for a fast paced, easy read with lots of banter, The Shadowed Flame is perfect for you!

The end of the 5th chapter needs to flow better into the 6th and the formatting has scrambled a lot of words

I really like this book and look forward to the rest of the series

I've never read Percy Jackson so I don't have a comparison, but this book was so entertaining. I loved all the magical creatures, unicorns were amazing 🦄🦄🦄 and the characters weren't annoying. 5/5⭐

Thank you NetGalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

I read this book for two things: the beautiful cover and the amazing style of writing of the author on Mercurial, but since this book was more YA than the other I was worried.
Well, I really enjoyed the world and the characters, it kind of reminded me of Percy Jackson, it's really catching and so light to read thanks to the funny moments and the good plot.
Just when I thought my time for ya fantasy had ended I found this amazing author that captivates me, she amazed me on Mercurial that was a little darker and made me love this book too.

Going into this one I had no idea what to expect only that it said if you liked PJO you would most likely enjoy this one, now I've never read PJO but for some reason that got me to get this here from netgalley and I have no regrets. This book completely blew me away and I had no expectations, it was just so good.

one of the main things i enjoyed about this book is it immediately pulls you into the action of the story and it wastes no time introducing the two main characters who will lead you on this beautiful mythical journey. from there the plot just takes off and before i knew it , i was fully immersed into the story and attached to Jackson and Moira, and their unicorn counterparts Luna and Mort.

yes, i said unicorns and Naomi puts a fresh and magical twist on unicorns. The way are bonded to their riders and the way the communicate with one another it was so unique, i love that their was a major hierarchy with them, how much more strong willed they were too. normally if you see them in a book they are just beautiful innocent creatures but these unicorns maybe beautiful but they are anything but innocent.

the magic system and world building in this book were phenomenal. I honestly think if you enjoyed PJO and are a major fan then please give this a try, everything about this book was very unique and breathtaking.

This is very much a middle grade or young YA book. Quite clean, just some kissing. And the drama isn't too much. Honestly, it reminded me of a cross between Keeper of the Lost Cities and Percy Jackson. So, if your middle-grader likes unicorns and fighting monsters, than this book is a good choice.

I found the book to be slow at times, especially the last 1/3 of the book. There were some things left unanswered, but I suspect that they will be address in the sequel, although from the sneak peak, it appears that book 2 introduces a new main character.

Overall, I thought that the book was just ok. Thanks Netgalley and publishers for the free e-ARC

A novel that revolves around monsters, unicorns, and their riders’. Jackson Harper became a unicorn rider when he got into a sticky situation. Since then, Jackson and his unicorn Luna have been slaying monsters and keeping their territory safe. Because of his past, Jackson must evade the authorities, that is the unicorn regiment since one must be of pure heart to become a rider. He has kept this secret of his for as much as he could and when he finally meets a rider from the unicorn regiment, it turns out to be none other than his childhood best friend Moira Maldrigo. She must report him to the regiment, but on their journey, they encounter greater problems and discover that the unicorns are keeping a dark secret and they face a much bigger battle.

Jackson Harper is the protagonist of the novel, after becoming a rider he faces many obstacles, and with his unicorn Luna by his side, they save and protect each other. His tricky past is what led him to encounter his unicorn friend and they have become an unstoppable team. Little did he know, his destiny is far greater than slaying monsters and evading the unicorn regiment.

Moira Maldrigo is Jackson’s best friend, when they meet for the first time since their childhood days Moira is now a unicorn rider and is stern and cold towards Jackson because she can never forget the past as it brings backs painful memories. As their journey progresses, Moira begins to warm up to her old friend and sticks by his side when they are faced with threats along the way.

The Shadowed Flame by Naomi Hughes is one of the most enjoyable Fantasy Novel Series I have read in a long time. I found it to be captivating and exciting, there were scenes that were sad, funny, and mysterious. The story kept me guessing and anticipating what will occur next. I was mesmerized by the storyline that I could not put down the book and wanted more. I cannot express how much I love reading this novel. This series by far is one of the best if you have read the Percy Jackson Novels.

The only thing I disliked about the book was Moira’s cold-hearted demeanor at the beginning of the story. She did not explain to Jackson why she gave him the cold shoulder and had him wondering what he did wrong. Overall, I did not like her attitude but with Moira’s presence Jackson became stronger and he had a purpose.

I love how the book ended, there was no cliffhanger but you can tell that the story is not quite finished and there are other characters whose story must be told. I cannot wait to read the other books in the series. I think Naomi Hughes writing will captivate audiences who are Fantasy Fiction lovers. This was a great read, and it is more geared toward Young Adults who enjoy reading about mystical creatures and their bond with humans.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because the story was interesting, the characters were mysterious, and their stories were emotional. The story was well put together, and I would recommend this book to Young Adults and Fantasy Fiction Readers.

The adventure! The twists! The feels! It was all so vivid I was completely drawn into it. Absolutely stunning story.

This is such a great book to begin the Sundered Worlds series by Hughes and is perfect for lovers of Percy Jackson. This book is unique and I enjoyed reading it. It was fast paced, action packed and I finished in one sitting. The main character Jackson was fantastic and I see a lot of readers relating to him. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an Arc of this book! I admit that this is probably a younger novel than my usual reading level, but there is nothing wrong with reading something light hearted and shorter occasionally. Fast-paced and easy to devour in one sitting ensure you don’t go into a reading slump and the weird but wonderful dust bowl location with giant hawks and unicorns made for an extremely interesting read!

I honestly can’t wait to find out what happens next. It’s like a comfort read, like when I go back and re-read Harry Potter or Percy Jackson!

The first in a new series by Naomi Hughes, The Sundered Flame follows Jackson Harper, a freelance unicorn rider who (along with his bonded unicorn Luna), travel the "sundered" world, helping out those around them by killing the monsters that roam the land. After coming across Todd - a brilliantly named (by Jackson) snake-dragon - and running in to a spot of trouble, Jackson is reunited with his childhood friend Moira and learns that she is also a dragon rider, working with the official unicorn corps, and shortly becomes embroiled in a conspiracy surrounding the magic of the world, and the unicorns that everyone looks up to.

As a whole, I quite enjoyed this book. The book genuinely made me laugh out loud at times, and Jackson had a fantastic narrative style as the MC - and his brilliant sarcastic wit was a real breath of fresh air.

It was also great to see the "unicorn trope" turned on its head too, with them being seen less as "beings of purity who will only tolerate pure women" and more as warriors and generals, fighting a ~conspiracy~ and an unseen big bad, and also helping with the more immediate threat of magic-starved (and potentially insane!) monsters terrorizing the nation.

One thing I wasn't really a fan of though was the romantic sub-plot. It didn't really seem to add anything of substance to the story, and progressed a bit too quickly for my liking. I would have much preferred it had Moira and Jackson remained as the reunited best friends - at least for the first book, and maybe just had the potential there for something more, if we have to go in that direction.

Overall, this was a super fun book and a really easy read, perfect for Middle Grade and young YA readers alike.