I liked this book and felt like the storyline was quite unique to me. I love YA, some of my all time favourite books have been this genre and I read it all the damn time! However this book in particular is definitely aimed more towards younger readers.

It’s quick and easy to read, very pg with little to no triggers and the storyline is very simple to follow.

One thing that confused me was her love interests… I felt as though she had about four at one point and it confused me a little lol! I do think this will be cleared up in the next book though which I will be reading!

With Fire in Their Blood follows sixteen year old Lilly who has moved to Castello a small town in the Italian Mountains. The town is no what you would expect, its outdated and is ruled by a so called General who claims to bring peace by bringing together rival clans in order to find and eliminate so called “Saints”, who the General claims are the true enemies. As Lily learns more about Castello she also learns that everything she knows about her life has been a lie as her family have been keeping secrets.

I did struggle to get into this one at first and it really wasn’t until I reached around the 25% mark when the plot became really intriguing and it was at this point when I couldn’t stop reading and flew through the rest of the book. The plot is well written and has many twists and turns, the majority of which I never saw coming while at the same time did work out a few.

I really enjoyed the  world building and the whole magic system. It was complex and multi layered however I must admit I was a little confused at times and was left with a couple of unanswered questions at times but I am hoping that things will be made clear in the next book.

Like the plot the characters are really interesting and multi layered and you never quite know who to trust.  Although I liked the characters one thing I wasn’t a fan of was the love triangle/romance trope. Let me clarify it wasn’t badly written or anything but it’s just one trope that I really wish wasn’t incorporated into almost all YA fantasy’s. Saying that I did like the LGBT+ representation, it was really well done it felt natural and wasn’t made into a big deal.

Overall I really enjoyed this read. I loved the writing style and the unique plot. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of dark YA fantasy.

I really enjoyed this. It was such an unusual and dramatically different almost Romeo and Juliet retelling but not quite. I liked how dark this was and how much Lilly was repulsed and repelled by the town, its history and customs. I also like how quickly she became indoctrinated to this bizarre way of life. I felt Lilly was a really strong and compelling character.

It does also suffer from the ‘lack of adults’ syndrome a little bit. While Delacourte does try to explain away Lilly’s fathers absence in what is one of the more convincing back stories I have read ther comes a point in the story where his absence just becomes odd. Odd is a recurring feeling for a lot of this book. If I am being honest I think that is what I like most about it. It is filled with a lot of odd. All the way through I felt I was missing something and that it just didn’t all quite come together yet I still found it completely entertaining.

One thing I didn’t really gel with is the fact that every single teen in this town seemed to be in love with our MC. It wasn’t just insta-love all of them seemed to find her completely irresistible even though she didn’t do a damn thing to warrant their affections. For me this seemed to add to the bizarre nature of the book. I don’t know if this was due to the powers that people in this city develop it never seemed to be explained but just this mad love they all seemed to develop for Lilly was a bit jarring. I think because there was a plethora of potential suiters for Lilly we never really got to know them enough to route for them. It also has a dramatic case of "burying your gays" which while it made for a shock at the time is such an outdated trope that now it makes me a little sad that is the route that was taken.

The cliff-hanger ending was the biggest disappointment as nothing really felt resolved again adding to the odd feeling and the incomplete feeling I had the whole time. I still found this an enjoyable read and I would recommend it for anyone looking for something out of the box in terms of YA fantasy. But the billing as a paranormal romance oversells the romance and undersells the creative worldbuilding.

Wow!!!
This book is absolutely superb and had me totally glued to it the whole time. It blew my expectations out of the water and I loved it. It has an element of Romeo and Juliet but with more emphasis on the city’s troubles and less on the romance part.
Castello is a city in Italy that seems to have stood still in time and this really showed in the wonderful description. It was only when the occasional modern item or though popped up that I remembered this was set in the present. I was completely sucked in. The city is almost a character in its own right. It’s a beautiful yet malevolent backdrop for a story full of tension, power and teen angst. There are two very contrasting sides to the city. The story is based on the lives of the Marconi side of the town so I would love to read about the other side as it would be great to have both perspectives. I also enjoyed the historical aspect (not factual) and how the towns came to be that way and think I would enjoy a prequel novel based on that too – so many possibilities for this series. Not to mention what happens next!
Lily is an intriguing character. I really felt for her not only was she grieving for her mother – emotionally she lost her father too and she was dealing with feelings of abandonment from her mother too. I completely identified with how much she questioned and chipped away at what was happening in Castello and refused to accept simple answers or be fobbed off. I also enjoyed watching other characters around her develop and reveal themselves and there are definitely a few red herrings in there.
It's difficult for me to comment on the quality of the bisexual relationships in this book as I am not bisexual but it was refreshing to see teens exploring their sexual identify and being open about it.
The plot is fast moving and intense and there are plenty of surprises running through the books (some you may guess like I did). It has a great balance of friendships, betrayals, romance and action and I just adored everything about it.
I have but one complaint…….I need to read book 2 NOW!

I’ve not read a lot of YA Fantasy recently but With Fire In Their Blood has made me fall in love with the genre again.

With an Italian town divided, full of dark history, forbidden magic and plenty of romance, it made the story wholly addicting and impossible to put down. The world-building is fantastic and so easy to imagine once you get into it. I could really see the run-down, derelict town of Castello and it’s its eerie atmosphere, it really sets the right tone for the book. I love the twist and turns that happened throughout the plot, it makes it really captivating. However, some things were quite predictable, but it is still such a one-of-a-kind story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

There were so many interesting characters that I really want to know more about. I loved everything about Lilly, Nico, Liza & Christian. Normally, I would favour some characters over others but I found with this book that I really liked them all in such different ways. They took me by surprise quite a few times which I really loved.

Overall, With Fire In Their Blood is an incredible YA fantasy with so many great dystopian elements that make it unique and just an overall amazing book. If you are looking for a twisty tale full of magic secrets and LGBTQ+ representation then I can’t recommend this enough!

I’d like to start out by thanking NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Random House Children's Publishers, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this honest review:

When I read the blurb for With Fire In Their Blood I was incredibly excited to read it. I mean, what could possibly be better than a bisexual with several hot love interests in the Mediterranean, Italy to be specific, with a gothic atmosphere? Unfortunately the book ended up not being to my tastes. I still think other people should give this a try, though, as most of my issues with this book was a me thing, rather than any fault of the book’s.

I, personally, wasn’t a fan of the prose and the way the first person narrator was written. Because of this I struggled with getting immersed into this book and connecting to its story and characters. I might give this book another chance in the future, since I might have liked it better, had I read it at another point in time.

Review will also be posted on my Instagram (@Kratist0) soon.

This is a fab debut! An immersive, dark and thrilling fantasy tale with a strong female lead.

With Fire in their Blood by Kat Delacorte is an Italian gothic YA supernatural romance. I wasn’t sure I’d like it as I’m not normally a fan of the gothic style, but the synopsis drew me in. It follows the story of Lilly a sixteen-year-old who arrives in Castello a remote town in central Italy, with her father. The town is divided into two, with each clan sticking to their geographical half. But that’s the least weird thing, because every month residents have their blood tested for magical powers. And those with powers must keep them hidden.

My favourite thing about this novel was the setting. Castello played perfectly into the dystopian isolated city with warring clans (you can image a remote Italian town with poor internet and transport links, marred by generations of mafia families clashing). The plot is also very good, the fantasy construct is well conceived and artfully deployed. There is a good mix of the everyday (which in Castello is not banal) and thrilling, romantic and dramatic events. The only thing I didn’t like so much was the beginning of the book, most of which is about the fact that Lilly’s mother died. That is fine, as is the fact she has been deeply affected, but the writing feels clumsy and laboured. I think it could have been done with more subtlety and would have got the same point across effectively. I found the plot gripping and enjoyed working out the motivations of the different characters. There are some good twists, some things you can guess are coming (but are not less enjoyable for it) and it feels like the story could continue (here’s hoping for a sequel!). The characters are strong and well developed. There are a few romantic developments between Lilly and some of the other characters. I don’t know if it’s me being old (I’m not YA) but these felt like they were instigated for slightly less than healthy reasons, with feelings almost weaponised to control others. I found this novel to be an immersive read, both deeply atmospheric and gripping, and I’d be keen to read more of what Lilly does next.

Myth: 4/5

A crumbling, forgotten Italian city, still plagued by its history of mafia violence really just sweeps the reader away. A supposedly ‘modern day’ story drops Lilly right into what seems like a Capulets vs Montagues type feud, with even more to fear.

Lilly was a little hard for me to access at first, she has a lot of anger and a lot of self-blame, she’s quick to assume everyone thinks the worst of her, but also, she’s dropped into this medieval world so her reactions may be spot on.



Magic: 4/5

Dark and lush, secret, bottled magic finds a way. Lilly has to figure out who to trust and what that means for her in this strange, ancient town.

Overall: 4/5

This book swept me away to a remote city in Italy and at times I definitely wanted to scream, run! (that was definitely the author’s intent) I also didn’t want to leave at the end of the story. Book one in this new series burns bright.

4 Stars!

Synopsis:

‘Startingly original… Readers will be lured into this tumultuous world of warring families, forbidden power, and heart-searing romance’ – Lyndall Clipstone (Lakesedge, Forestfall)

From the word-of-mouth fantasy sensation Kat Delacorte – the standout debut star of 2022 YA Lit Con (YALC) – comes the first instalment in a new YA fantasy duology.

Packed to the brim with bisexual and queer representation, With Fire in Their Blood is a simmering supernatural romance set in the crumbling Italian city of Castello, where mafia clans make the rules, dark magic pulses the streets and the sins of the past threaten to consume the present. . .

When sixteen-year-old Lilly arrives in Castello, she isn’t impressed.
A secluded town in the Italian mountains is not where she saw her last years of high school playing out.

Divided for generations by a brutal clan-family war, the two halves of Castello are kept from destroying each other by the mysterious General, a leader determined to maintain order and ‘purity’. . . whatever the cost.

Lilly falls in with the rebellious Liza, brooding Nico and sensitive Christian, and sparks begin to fly. But in a city where love can lead to ruin, Lilly isn’t sure she can trust anyone — not even herself.

And then she accidentally breaks Castello’s most important rule: when the General’s men come to test your blood, you’d better not be anything more than human…

Perfect for lovers of Chloe Gong, Renée Ahdieh and V.E. Schwab, With Fire in Their Blood is quality YA storytelling at its best by an exciting new voice in YA fantasy.

CW/TW: Violence/Blood Testing (Pinprick)/Death/Fire/Murder/Abuse/Physical Abuse/Emotional Abuse and Neglect. Others May be present.

Rep: Italian setting/Cast | Bi/Pan MC and LI | Queer Side Characters

Book Info:

Length: 416 Pages
Age/Genre: YA Fantasy/Supernatural Romance
Publisher: Penguin
Publishing: 1st September 2022
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LLTRMR4/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61267819-with-fire-in-their-blood
Review!
With Fire In Their Blood, by Kat Delacorte is an intriguing and compelling YA fantasy. The book is incredibly bingeable and easy to read. The prose is beautiful and vivid, conjuring up excellent scenes and settings and engaging descriptions of the characters and magic. Moreover, the prose is easy to read, flows well and is well paced. The narrative perspective we get is that of our Main Character Lilly. I really enjoyed the POV choice in this book, it worked well with this particular story as Lilly moves to Castello knowing very little about the city and it’s strange rules and laws. The POV allowed us to naturally learn about Castello and it’s customs slowly and organically and allowed us to piece together the truth slowly.

Delacorte creates absorbing atmospheres that draw you in and creates tension and mystery very well. The actual story is intriguing and unique – we get a Castello run by the mysterious ‘General’ who has managed to maintain a peace between two warring gangs. However, we slowly learn there is more to this story, a history somewhat reminiscent of Romeo & Juliet but yet with a refreshing and original take that gives this story and added layer and depth of mystery. Moreover, I enjoyed the mystery of the blood testing and the ‘Saints’ that we learn about upon Lilly’s arrival to Castello – I really enjoyed the history of, and learning the truth about, these ‘Saints’. There are a lot of twists and turns throughout this book that keep you invested and the untrustworthy streets and citizens of Castello keep you second guessing.

The actual magic was quite interesting, and all of the lore/mythology surrounding the magic was equally intriguing. I won’t spoil anything but I did this it was quite a unique take on magic and enjoyed learning more about it. The actual magic was interesting and actually had a cost to it’s use which was nice to see and I’m curious as to where this will be taken next.

The characters are all rather interesting with depth and strong characterisation. The story does centralise romance but not in the way you may expect – I was actually quite surprised at how the romance was used and am interested to see how this develops over the course of the series. Lilly was an interesting MC, stubborn and brash but also uncertain and vulnerable. However, she was not the only interesting character, Ienjoyed learning more about Liza, Nico, Christian, Alex, and more all of the people that Lilly meets have their own motivations, secrets and stories and watching them slowly unravel was interesting. Similarly, the General was an intriguing character though I’ll leave this for you to find out yourself!

Overall, With Fire In Their Blood by Kat Delacorte is an intriguing and compelling fantasy with a lot of potential for the future of the series!

*I received an eARC via Netgalley from Penguin in exchange for an honest review and for The Write Reads Blog Tour! Thank you*

This debut novel is a badass YA fantasy full of mystery, magical powers, and unexpected friendships. Set in an alternate Italian town, Castello, the book opens with Lilly and her widowed father moving to Italy for her father's new job, to a strange town where nothing is quite as it seems. With Fire in Their Blood borrows themes from Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story while also following a somewhat gothic storyline of dark secrets, rundown castles, and a people divided by handed down stories. The writing is fantastic, the pace is almost frantic, and the storyline is full of unexpected twists and rapidly changing loyalties. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

Personally, I’m not usually a big fan of romance, but I love supernatural, and something about this book immediately intrigued me. I am so glad I read this book, because With Fire In Their Blood exceeded all of my expectations!

The story begins with Lilly and her father travelling to their new home in Castello. Despite Lilly’s reluctance, from initial impressions, Castello sounds beautiful, like somewhere I would quite like to visit. Italy’s history and impressive architecture are two of the many reasons why I am desperate to visit, and it appears that Castello have both in abundance. However, I can understand Lilly’s feelings on not wanting to move away from the only home she has ever know.

It is very clear from the beginning that Lilly’s relationship with her father is not good, they don’t seem to even be able to communicate with each other, and her relationship with her mother when she was alive wasn’t good either. I feel so sorry for Lilly because she obviously doesn’t have a support system at all.

The quietness of the town is unnerving, it’s like a ghost town, and the school dynamic is very strange. Lilly’s new classmates are a real mix of interesting characters, and I immediately wanted to know more about each of them individually, but especially Nico and Liza. The whole monthly blood test situation was not what I had expected, and sounds like an absolute nightmare. It produces a lot of questions that I need to know the answers to, like what is actually going on in Castello?

We then begin to learn about the history of the town, and the Marconi’s, Paradiso’s, and the Saints. I was so intrigued by the two clans and the splitting of the town, and I feel like the whole clan war could definitely be turned in to a whole separate book that I would definitely read. I took an immediate dislike to the General, because his way of creating peace in the town was to collectively come together and attack someone else, and we can all think of a few evil leaders in real life who’s whole agenda was to bring people together against one small group of people… The General wasn’t bringing peace at all.

The relationships in the story were absolute chaos. It was way beyond just one messy relationship, and Lilly had stuck herself straight in the middle of it all. However, the chaos of it all is actually why I enjoyed the romance aspect so much, it made it exciting! I also felt that the relationships reflected the mess that the town as a whole was in, and it was very cleverly worked. There was definite Romeo and Juliet vibes.

Throughout the story, I had a few theories, especially surrounding Lilly, her mother, and the towns history, and I have to say that I was pretty on the mark with most of them. But that in no way took away from the book, because there was so many layers to every aspect of the story. I loved the way the story plays out and how it comes together in an explosive climax. Those last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat with my heart in my mouth. I would absolutely love to see more of these characters in the future.

This book is filled with excitement, danger, and chaos, and I loved every second of it. I couldn’t put it down, and I can honestly say that this is probably my favourite book of the year so far! What an incredible debut from Kat Delacorte, and I can not wait to see what more she has to offer.

I give With Fire In Their Blood a 5 star rating!

The world-building was very interesting and had me sucked into the story from the beginning. There are many things that were a bit confusing, but I think that will be explained more in the next book. I loved that this book was so mysterious, gothic, and dark. There are a lot of moments that I thought would be the perfect October read! I got a lot of Romeo and Juliet vibes too, very cool.

I did like many of the characters because they are complex and had a lot going on. I wasn’t sure who you could trust or couldn’t trust. I did have my guesses though. Unfortunately, I did have trouble connecting with our main character, Lilly. She was really impulsive and didn’t think things through. She’s thrust into this new world and thinks she can do it alone. I tend to overthink things though and that could be why I didn’t connect with that.

It was cool to see that Lilly was into multiple characters and genders but it was chaotic. They were these little blips in time and it felt too much like instant love. Is this girl starved for attention that she falls for anyone that looks at her twice, Yes. It’s true and she’s been looking for it all her life since she didn’t have it growing up. Still, it was really hard to connect to any of these relationships because all felt surface level, and there were so many of them. One of my biggest issues with this book is the relationships.

The pacing of the book was a little off and made it harder to keep me completely invested in the story. It started strong and then it kind of tapered, which is okay.

Overall, this story was interesting and unique. There are many things left open that set up the potential for a great sequel. There are a lot of things that missed for me- the relationships and many of the characters in this book. I wanted a lot more and I hope there are more laser focus to develop some of these relationships in the second book. I hope the chaos is tamed a bit for the following book as well. It was fun and I am interested enough to pick up book two!

I’m not going to lie for me this book took a while to get into, there was something that just wasn’t clicking into place and I’m not sure what it was exactly. I decided to persevere with it because the description was amazing and luckily it eventually all fell into place and I really started to enjoy it.

The setting was fantastic, Castello was a character in itself, very gothic and full of secrets, the fact that it was remote, cut off from the world and some modern conveniences, with old and crumbling buildings, at least on the side that Lilly was staying on, added a wonderful atmosphere and tension to the story. The divide between the two sides was fascinating to read about, seeing how they act around each other when they are forced to spend time together and how the truce is always on a bit of a knife edge kept the suspense up because I couldn’t tell how the characters would react.

As I took a while to get into this one I found that the pace was pretty slow to start with, however, as soon as Lilly has a purpose in the story it really starts to gain momentum and became a captivating fantasy that I got completely swept up in. There was so much action in the second half I did get to the stage that I didn’t want to put the book down because I didn’t want to miss out on what was happening.

Another thing that I both loved and made me a little angry, but in a good way, is the scheming in this book it’s the juicy kind though that makes you question everyone’s motives. As we get further into the story you realise that everyone has their own agenda and are sometimes working both for and against each other which definitely ups the stakes in the story.

Whilst we only get a glimpse of the magic in the book, since people with magic are the enemy of both sides of Castello it’s not something that anyone would want to be open about, what we do see is a little chaotic and uncontrolled and exciting. Especially as it feels like Castello as a place is perhaps in some way responsible for fuelling the magic or drawing it out in people so I’m excited to see how this evolves in the next book.

Even though I think this is more of a plot-driven book there were some very interesting characters, Lilly is our main character, dragged to Castello by her father and plunged into a world entirely different to what she has grown up with. She definitely has to go through a lot in this story and whilst I was rooting for her I felt like I would have liked to know more about her, and had a bit more time to delve further into her relationships with other characters.

There were a lot of budding romances between Lilly and a few of the characters and whilst I was glad of how easily they all fit into the story, it all seemed a bit too rushed for me to fully get behind any of them. Actually, the person that I felt that she connected with the most was Alex, who was not a love interest, because they spent a lot of time together and built a rapport which was missing from the other relationships.

With Fire In Their Blood has a pretty dramatic ending and leaves us with a lot of uncertainty about what will happen to the characters and how Castello will change after what has happened and I am really looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book, I already know it’s going to be exciting.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I was really intrigued. Especially as it was marketed to fans of These Violent Delights which I really enjoyed. So I had expectations when going into this book.

When I started this book, both the setting of the book and the plot definitely maintained my intrigue. The setting is a remote town in Italy called Castello. I definitely got Romeo and Juliet feels with the rival clans and the isolated, outdated technology. So give me this setting with witches and some mystery and I was sold on the plot.

I felt like our main character, Lilly, was very impulsive and rash. Unfortunately, I just didn’t connect with her enough. It didn’t help that there were three different love interests. I just felt like because there were too many, we didn’t see enough of a real connection develop between Lilly and the love interests. So it did feel quite like insta-love.

However, there was one character who I found really interesting and that was the General. Which is odd as he’s the villain. He’s this allusive character but when he spoke to Lilly at the end, I was super intrigued by him. I actually would want more interactions with this character but after the way the book concluded, we’ll see how and if that will happen.

I feel like I don’t actually know which direction book 2 will be going in which is quite exciting because I have theories about the ending and have no clue if I'm right or not. So I’m excited for book 2 and I’m hoping that we get some great character development from Lilly.

Thank you to the author katdelacorte as well as penguinbookssouthafrica and penguinbooksya for gifting me with the eARC.

With Fire in Their Blood starts almost like a fairytale with the arrival of the MC, Lilly Deluca, in Castello—an Italian town shrouded in mystery where her father got a new job. The fairytale vibe is dispelled soon enough as we meet the other characters, Lily's classmates, and learn a bit of the town's history.

Much like in Romeo and Juliet, the town is split in two (in the past, it was quite literally divided by a wall), and each half of the town is ruled by a family, one by Paradisos and the other by the Marconis. The town is governed by the General, and the peace between the two sides is frail at best. According to the truce, crossing the boundary line is illegal, considered treason, and would earn the trespasser a death sentence. Things get a little muddled for a while. An annual dance is the only occasion where the two sides are allowed to mingle. Of course, violence ensues; from what I understand, that happens every year. Why would the General allow an event where people who hate each other can legally assault one another? Although it seemed that the aggression was one-sided. I also didn't understand why those abused would attend the party yearly (unless it was mandatory and I missed it).

As you probably guessed by now, there will be some trespassing, but I won't give any spoilers. Kat Delacorte created a haunting setting for her story and put the characters through the wringer. It took me a while to get into the story because I found it hard to connect with Lilly. But I imagine it would be much easier for a teenager. If you can suspend your disbelief, you will thoroughly enjoy this story.
Read the full review: https://www.summonfantasy.com/reviews/with-fire-in-their-blood-by-kat-delacorte-book-review

A dark and lush fantasy set in the haunting Italian town of Castello. Lilly Deluca has no idea what awaits her in her new home, and when she uncovers the past that has been hidden away in this solitary community, nothing can prepare her for how different her life will become.

A book with witches, cults, not a single straight character and the worldbuilding elements of Romeo & Juliet?

Sign. Me. Up.

~

When Lily arrives in Costello after her father accepts a mysterious new job offer, she finds it less than ideal. With a rich, violence-ridden history - the town is a mystery, divided into two in a method to keep the peace, unified by one common goal; to kill those known as the Saints, the descendants of those who had wrecked havoc on their town all those years ago.

~

This was such a wonderful premise and worldbuilding - the author catapults you into this small town effortlessly; you know the world and the politics within it. It was an easy read and definitely has the potential to develop into a phenomenal series.

However, it sort of… fell flat in its delivery. I found a lot of the plot points easy to guess and none of them came as a great shock - the author seemed to have no idea how to build tension without ending a chapter. The main character also functioned purely as a plot device - it felt as though she has very few notable personality traits.

3.5 stars.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc!!

With an interesting premise and a high intrigue factor this book was definitely intriguing to say the least

What I Liked

Kat Delacorte's writing style is pretty great, it can paint a vivid image and create high level of intrigue plus she is able to write pretty damn unlikable characters who mere presence on page can kinda, sorta piss you off and I liked that about the writing style.

The general theme of this book was eerie and filled with a sort of hopelessness given the state in which the people in the town of Castello like and it is pretty well shown in the book, throughout my time reading it, I was incredibly glad that I do not live there because man does that town have it's issues.

The final plot twist was a definite curve ball and trust me you do not see it coming, I was left shocked and definitely intrigued to see where the author is planning to take the series next.

Our Main Character Lilly is thrust into this world of magic and murder headfirst and is left to figure out most of it by herself and with her we get to explore and understand everything and though she had thus hero complex of setting things right she also was realistically shown to ponder the shit she is thrust into and actually hating it and though she starts kind of unlikable at the start, she definitely grows on you.

What I did not like

The ease of the plot, the quick allies she was able to make and the insta-love were the few things I did not like in the story

I dived in with expectations, and although not all of them were met, With Fire in Their Blood caught my attention until its last page with mystery and war surrounding Castello.

One thing that instantly attracted me to this book is the setting. I will spend five months in Italy, so I thought, why not pick up this book and learn more about Castello? What began as a coincidence turned out to be an enjoyable read. It tells Lilly's story of moving to Castello after her mom died of suicide. As an engineer, her father got himself a job to modernize the city. However, instead of a new beginning, she is trapped in lies and a war going on for centuries.

The story has medium pacing. Although the building was relatively slow, it managed to pique my interest and made me keep reading. IMO, this is a plot-driven tale rather than a character-driven one. I could say that because there was never truly a moment where the character was stripped off their armor and grew. As I see it, Lilly was too busy being attracted to too many characters, so I could not see her character being well-developed.

When I reached the book's middle part, I thought things would start to pick up faster. Because it has medium pacing, I could not bring myself to binge this book in one sitting. But once only 5-10 chapters were left, I started to enjoy it again. Things were slowly but surely being revealed, and at the end of the day, it did not go in the direction I expected, which is delightful!

Overall, With Fire in Their Blood was an enjoyable pace that revolved around power, desire, and Castello itself. The ending was satisfying, leaving much room for the sequel to develop. If you enjoy stories that are set in a mysterious city with characters that have their agendas, you should add this book to your TBR!

While I loved the setting of this book, touch of gothic atmosphere, and the beautiful imagery of the town, this novel just wasn't for me. The characters and plot didn't hook me as I'd hoped.