Destiny Soria's beguiling tale of dragons and their would-be slayers, Fire with Fire, delves into the worrisome problem of what might ensue when prevailing wisdom turns out to be wrong.
Seventeen-year-old Dani really wishes she could be a "normal teenager," but she comes from a "legendary family of dragon slayers" responsible for ridding the world of dragons and keeping their existence a secret. She puts up with training, tracking and lessons on ancient weaponry because "that's what it mean[s] to be a Rivera." One evening, Dani opts to attend a high school bonfire instead of eating dinner with her parents, her older sister, Eden, and a pair of sorcerers. At the fire, Dani runs into her ex-best friend who left town after the pair kissed. Dani flees and, because she can't go home yet, pulls over to waste some time--and finds herself face-to-face with a dragon. Despite all her training, the dragon is poised to burn her to a crisp when Dani and the creature experience "a strange, terrible connection." The two have a "soul bond" that puts Dani completely at odds with her family's legacy and with Eden, whose growing interest in sorcerers might potentially be even more troubling than Dani's newfound ability.
Soria's imaginative dragon tale is full of action. Soria (Iron Cast) offers a new take on dragon lore, which she firmly grounds in an inclusive, contemporary setting featuring a diverse cast, an extensive network of Latinx dragon slayers, a protagonist who embraces her bisexuality and a dragon with a very dry sense of humor. Add in some evil sorcerers and a hot crush or two, and readers looking for engrossing fantasy should be extremely pleased with this offering. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author