Today on the blog, I have a review of Scars of Fire by Raina Nightingale. The author gave me an ARC in exchange for a review. I previously read and reviewed Heart of Fire and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it.
Middle grade and YA readers will find plenty to enjoy and ponder in Camilla's fantastic adventure. Many of the powerful emotions she feels and must contend with are what all young people face as they grow up.
In the second installment of her story, Camilla continues to deal with the emotional trauma of her past and physical pain from wounds taken battling the Nightmare Lord. Also, she continues to be very angry very often. In her mind, she is angry with good reason, and at times, the reader will agree with her self-assessment, but not always. I believe this is the point. Like all young people, Camilla feels and struggles to control turbulent emotions. I suspect that to overcome her foes and reach her goals, she must master her feelings, especially her anger. In this way, despite wielding magic, being a dragon rider, and interacting with elves, she reflects young people everywhere.
Scars of Fire introduces the reader to the vast swatches of Nightingale's world, which provide a rich backdrop for Camilla's tale. The protagonist struggles to overcome her wounds and master her magic, often with aid from teachers she feels negatively toward. Near the end, she also faces new emotional trauma in the form of a devastating loss.
Readers who enjoyed Heart of Fire will eat up Scars of Fire and be left ravenously awaiting the next installment.