Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn

Next up on my long list of book reviews to catch up on is Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn. This is a story with a western feel mashed up with magic via an addictive substance found in only one area. Of course, there’s a bad guy who exploits that, and the story revolves around the struggle to end said bad guy’s reign.

Likes

I loved Arlen’s secret. No, I’m not telling you what that secret is. Read the book to find out. But I appreciate Chorn chose to weave what she did into the story. I believe she did it in a way that felt natural and respectful. For me, it flowed and made sense, which was the best part.

I also like the shine. It’s the addictive substance that is both a power source and a magic source. I thought Chorn’s way of having it function as a double-edged sword worked and kept it from being this proverbial magic bullet thing that had no consequences.

Finally, I appreciated Chorn’s ability to create characters. They flowed. They felt realistic. Each character had their own distinct arc that fit the character and made sense in the grand scheme of the book. Motivations stayed believable, and the flaws worked to elevate all of this.

Dislikes

The big thing for me I felt like a miss goes back to Arlen’s secret. I wish there would have been a little more worked into the rest of the story about it. It felt like the secret got introduced, influenced some things, then kind of disappeared. Now, I know this is the first book in the trilogy, and I hope Chorn continues to grow Arlen’s arc in ways that honor that secret well.

Conclusion

The book is an interesting blend of western and fantasy. It hits some great high notes. I also hope that the next two books address the one big piece that I felt was under-used in this book. Go read it. I think it’ll be worth your time.