The second after I first saw the cover and read the synopsis of WICKED LIKE A WILDFIRE by Lana Popović, it got moved to the top of my To-Read list.

Magic. Family. Cute couples. What’s not to love?

THE 411: Set in Montenegro, sisters Iris and Malina discovered at an early age that they have magical abilities, or what they call the “gleam.” However, their mother, Jasmina, began to limit their practice and usage of their magic—so by the time we enter the story, Iris’ magic is seriously depleted. Iris has the ability to manipulate flowers and turn them into glass blowing works of art, while Lina can interpret emotions through her music. After they receive a mysterious visitor at the family-owned cafe they all work at, Jasmina falls into a mysterious stupor and the girls rush to save their mother. They begin to discover secrets behind their magic, a long-running family curse, and the real reason why Jasmina forbade them to fall in love.

I’ll fully admit, I was first and foremost pulled in because of the cover…I mean, it’s gorge…but I stayed for the story. The imagery of Wicked Like a Wildfire is really beautiful. I haven’t read a lot of books set in Eastern Europe, and I really enjoyed setting and the local history that this explored. And even though romance is definitely present, the main “form” of love is between Iris and Lina. Three cheers for sisterly love. Iris and Lina are also strong female characters, and there’s LGBTQ+ representation.

The main argument I’ve heard against this book is that the plot moves slow—it didn’t at all for me. I was engrossed enough that I was invested from the start.

I’m waiting im/patiently for Fierce Like a Firestorm because that cliffhanger was brutal and the sequel’s cover is just as pretty.

The always lovely FairyLoot also included this for their August box. If you’ve been on the fence about getting a subscription for FL, I highly recommended. They’ve always got AMAZING boxes. You can join the waiting list for the January TALK FAERIE TO ME box here.

MY RATING: ✰✰✰✰
RECOMMENDED FOR: fantasy lovers

Thank you Katherine Tegen Books for my galley. Wicked Like a Wildfire is available now.