• Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Tahlia Newland

Editor, Author & Artist

  • Editing Services
  • Me & My Creative Life
    • My Books
      • Metaphysical Fiction
    • My Poetry
    • My Masks
    • My Hats
    • Permaculture, Forest & Garden
    • Performing Arts
  • Blog
  • Contact

Review: Wilde’s Fire by Krystal Wade

September 28, 2012 by Tahlia Newland

Title: Wilde’s Fire, DarknessFalls, Book One
Author: Krystal Wade
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Genre: YA contemporary fantasy

Wilde’s Fire is a young adult fantasy that crosses, via a portal in a cave, from our known world to another reality. It’s a classic coming-of-age tale of a girl’s journey to find herself, her previously unknown powers and her place in a new world. This is a common underlying theme for young adult fantasy, but so long as authors keep coming up with new takes on it (as Krystal Wade has here), it never grows old, because it’s an analogy for every teenager’s life as they move from the known life as a child to the unknown life of an adult.

All teens have inner resources they know nothing about until they are tested, and Katriona Wilde is tested when she inadvertently leads her sister and best friend through a portal into a world she’s dreamed of for six years, but had no idea was real. She enters a nightmarish world embroiled in a war with lethal monsters, and discovers that her mother lied to her, she apparently has no control over her future and someone close to her has betrayed her.

The only plus to her new life is that those who rescue her from the same fate as her best friend are, in the main, nice people, and she meets the man she feels she knows already because she has dreamed of him and her in an intimate relationship. It’s an interesting way to circumvent the falling-in-love-too-quick criticism the book would probably otherwise receive. After seeing her relationship with this man grow over 6 years of highly realistic dreams, of course, she feels she knows him. He doesn’t know her, but his role as protector and her need for his presence as support throw them together, so they become close more quickly than would otherwise be the case.

Kate is the one prophesised to save this other world, but if you’re thinking of groaning, remember that this is another way of telling every reader (presuming they identify with the main character) that they are important to the overall scheme of things.

In general, this is a well-crafted story and the beginning of what promises to be an interesting series. The characters and fantasy world are well developed, the relationships realistic, the plot moves along at a good pace and though the ending definitely is designed to draw us into the sequel, it’s also a satisfying end to a first book.

I loved the descriptions of the ‘old magic’ in action. The light truly brightens up that dark world, and the ‘stronger-together/love is powerful’ aspect of the power makes a worthwhile statement.

On the down side, I would have enjoyed a touch of humour to lighten the book, and I found Kate’s emotional reactions a little melodramatic, perhaps even overwritten, but I know that many teens enjoy that kind of angst. When, at one point in the story, one of the other characters tells Kate to get over it already, I had to agree.

I give it 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes a good young adult fantasy.

Wilde’s Fire is a young adult fantasy that crosses, via a portal in a cave, from our known world to another reality. It’s a classic coming-of-age tale of a girl’s journey to find herself, her previously unknown powers and her place in a new world. This is a common underlying theme for young adult fantasy, but so long as authors keep coming up with new takes on it (as Krystal Wade has here), it never grows old, because it’s an analogy for every teenager’s life as they move from the known life as a child to the unknown life of an adult.

All teens have inner resources they know nothing about until they are tested, and Katriona Wilde is tested when she inadvertently leads her sister and best friend through a portal into a world she’s dreamed of for six years, but had no idea was real. She enters a nightmarish world embroiled in a war with lethal monsters, and discovers that her mother lied to her, she apparently has no control over her future and someone close to her has betrayed her.

 The only plus to her new life is that those who rescue her from the same fate as her best friend are, in the main, nice people, and she meets the man she feels she knows already because she has dreamed of him and her in an intimate relationship. It’s an interesting way to circumvent the falling-in-love-too-quick criticism the book would probably otherwise receive. After seeing her relationship with this man grow over 6 years of highly realistic dreams, of course, she feels she knows him. He doesn’t know her, but his role as protector and her need for his presence as support throw them together, so they become close more quickly than would otherwise be the case.

Kate is the one prophesised to save this other world, but if you’re thinking of groaning, remember that this is another way of telling every reader (presuming they identify with the main character) that they are important to the overall scheme of things.

In general, this is a well-crafted story and the beginning of what promises to be an interesting series. The characters and fantasy world are well developed, the relationships realistic, the plot moves along at a good pace and though the ending definitely is designed to draw us into the sequel, it’s also a satisfying end to a first book.

I loved the descriptions of the ‘old magic’ in action. The light truly brightens up that dark world, and the ‘stronger-together/love is powerful’ aspect of the power makes a worthwhile statement.

On the down side, I would have enjoyed a touch of humour to lighten the book, and I found Kate’s emotional reactions a little melodramatic, perhaps even overwritten, but I know that many teens enjoy that kind of angst. When, at one point in the story, one of the other characters tells Kate to get over it already, I had to agree.

I give it 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes a good young adult fantasy.
US Kindle Store
UK Kindle Store
 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Reviews, YA fantasy Tagged With: Book Review, Fantasy novels, Wilde's Fire by Krystal Wade, young adult

« Review: The Reunion by Dan Walsh
Do you remember ‘Lethal Inheritance’? It’s happening at last. »

Comments

  1. David Michie Author says

    September 28, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    You are a wonderful resource for readers, Tahlia! It’s great to be able to check out titles with you first! Thanks so much for your kind work and perceptive insights!

    • Tahlia Newland says

      September 30, 2012 at 10:03 am

      Thanks David. It is nice to be appreciated.

Search

Recent Posts

  • Fantasy Book Review: The High Priestess by Val Tobin
  • Book Genres – What you Need to Know.
  • How to See Edits in Word Documents
  • Finding an Editor You Can Trust
  • Review of ‘The Guild Codex Spellbound Series’ by Annette Marie

View Posts by Category

Writing a novel? Feeling overwhelmed? Get new insight and inspiration with my FREE Novel Revision Checklist. 

DOWNLOAD  NOW

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Free Book Download  
Get Lethal Inheritance free when you sign up to my new release email list.  I won’t share your details and you can unsubscribe at any time.

My Latest Books

  • Fallout: Recovering from Abuse in Tibetan Buddhism
  • The Elements of Active Prose: Writing Tips to Make Your Prose Shine
  • The Locksmith's Secret
    Rated 5.00 out of 5

Alliance of Independent Authors

Alliance of Independent Authors

Click HERE to see all my books.

Books
Reviews, Writing, Cats & Contemplation
Editing

Click HERE to subscribe to my newsletter and get my fantasy novel Lethal Inheritance FREE. 

How to Meditate – the crucial points

See more

Hi I’m Tahlia Newland

I can help you express yourself and share your story with the world.

 

Do you want to write a really good story and have it professionally polished and published?

As an editor, I help you be the best writer you can possibly be. I strengthen your voice, support your vision and can assist you all the way to publication.

On my blog you’ll find book reviews, writer’s tips, contemplative articles on meditation and working with your mind, and occaisonally pictures of my Burmese cats.

If you’re interested mostly in my contemplative articles then  Sign up to the Living in Peace & Clarity Newsletter to get those articles delivered by email. And check out the resources on my Living in Peace and Clarity Page.

I do a lot of community work involving blogging and general support for Buddhist students processing revelations of abuse in their spiritual communities.  Please consider supporting me to continue this work.

Occiasonally, when inspired and not too busy with community work, I make masks.

All my books are

Visit my Mask & Steampunk Accessories Shop

2015-03-19 15.46.12
Blue Burmese
Like cats in stories? Check out my books. And click the photo to read the cat colomn.

Click Here for More Articles in This Series

Book reviews – sci fi, fantasy, literary fiction, Buddhist fiction and related non-fiction

Fantasy Book Review: The High Priestess by Val Tobin

Fantasy Book Review: The High Priestess by Val Tobin

The High Priestess: Persephone’s Return is the third book in Val Tobin’s Tales from the Unmasqued World Series, and in it she deepens and expands the stories from the previous two book. The book has two central story arcs based around characters we’ve met before. One arc follows Kelsey (a human) who is with Josh […]

More Posts from this Category

My gorgeous Burmese cats

Renovated Website & Cute Cat Series

Renovated Website & Cute Cat Series

Yesterday I did a photoshoot for my renovated website. Take a look around, particulary at the home page (Click on my name at the top to go there). It’s designed for editing clients with my books secondary because I need to focus on the part of this publishing business that actually earns me more than […]

More Posts from this Category

Seven of my novels have an Awesome Indies Seal of Excellence

Four of my books earned BRAG Medallions

I abide by the ethical author code

I'm an Ethical Author
Alliance of Independent Authors

Copyright

All material on this website is under copyright to Tahlia Newland and cannot be shared without written permission.

  • Editing Services
  • About Me
  • My Books
  • My Masks
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · Amoré Theme by Oh, Hello Designs on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

FREE Novel Revision Checklist

Written a book? Need some help reviewing and revising it? Download my Novel Revision Checklist for step by step guidance.  

DOWNLOAD NOW

no thanks

{"cookieName":"wBounce","isAggressive":false,"isSitewide":true,"hesitation":"120","openAnimation":false,"exitAnimation":false,"timer":"","sensitivity":"","cookieExpire":"7","cookieDomain":"","autoFire":"","isAnalyticsEnabled":false}

Please note: I am closed for holidays from Christmas day until Jan 30th 2023. Dismiss