Reviews

Wind & Wildfire by J.D. Evans

harmah's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A full 5 stars from me, the story, the magic, the characters, the romance, the tension everything is well written!
I want to stay in this world for a long time, want to know more and there is enough material to keep writing 🙏🏼

mockingbird92's review

adventurous emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

wvodzr's review

3.5

i ate up this love triangle (shocker) but i went through the cycle of it's over —> we're so back —> it's over too many times that i just wished it would end.

stacey_unchecked's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

An absolute banger of a prequel to the Wheel of Mages series. This isn't your tiny novella that authors sometimes pass off as a prequel. Wind & wildfire is a full stunning tale in itself. The story gives us Dilay and Omar, and the awful but relatable villian in Behram. He is a vivid reminder that "love" can become twisted and possessive when it's unrequited. 
I love the slow burn romance that only Jenn can write so well. It makes the relationship deeper and have a life of its own. This prequel fills in some backstory from book 1, Reign & Ruin, and provides more history of the world and magic system. Loved the whole book and the epilogue was my fav. 

cgwynne's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

jashanac's review

3.5

I've read the currently published books in the main series (the first 4) and finally got around to reading this one. As always, I enjoyed the romance and the main characters -- their dynamic was great! 

The first half of this one felt quite slow to me, though. Just a bit of pacing issues, with getting going. 

Behram Kadir can kick freaking rocks, all day every day. What an asshat, incel ass, punk ass DICK. Hate hate hate. 

tia_mb's review against another edition

5.0

First read: 4 stars (June 2023)
Re-read: 5 stars (November 2023)

kmartbooks's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

 This is an amazing fantasy set in a land where powerful (and sometimes brutal) magic and societal divides shape the lives of the people who live there. The story revolves around Dilay, a lower noble who trains the wealthy in magic while secretly defying the Sultan’s oppressive laws at night. Omar is the future sultan with terrifying magical abilities. When Omar seeks Dilay's help to control his power, their collaboration sparks a series of events that promise to change their world forever.

I had such a great time with this book, especially tandem reading it alongside the narration. The characters are vivid, with Omar and Dilay's romance being a highlight. Their relationship transitions beautifully from a mildly antagonistic dynamic to a deeply forbidden love, and it’s written with such elegance and emotion.

The setting is richly detailed. I always love non-Western-inspired fantasy. I will say that I would have loved to see POC narrators (I'm not completely sure but I do not believe they are) take on these roles for the audiobook especially because there are accents used. The complex relationships and intricate societal structures added depth to the story. The magic system, with its various forms and manners of control (the mechanics were really entertaining), is fascinating and well-explored. I’m eager to see how it evolves in the subsequent books.

Dilay's bravery and determination stood out and make her an inspiring character. Her journey, intertwined with Omar's struggle to reconcile his monstrous reputation with his humanity, was so compelling. This book exceeded my expectations and left me eager to dive into the next books in the series. A beautifully crafted story that combines romance, magic, and social commentary in a captivating way. 

camilliant's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

xgracyx's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0