Glow of the Fireflies

I was speechless after reading this book. It was a very phenomenal and brilliant story. This is like the best YA-Fantasy book I ever read so far for this year, the concept of the magic was brilliant, and the characters are very likable which makes this story more interesting. After I finished reading it, I needed to take a break for awhile because I really need all the time I can have to process the whole story. This isn’t the type of story that you can easily move on from, you can’t just jump to a new book after you read this one, it’s not that simple. The writing was breathtakingly beautiful and very clean, the story was smooth and the plot nearly break my brain. There are so many plot twist in the story, and I’m still in awed at how my brain and mind are still strong even after all those twists. It was totally unpredictable and there are some things that I didn’t see coming. Luckily I didn’t experience a breakdown at all. This is exactly the type of book that deserve a full five stars rating.

The concept that the author use for this story was very unique, and something new that I haven’t seen in other books before. It also gave me a bit of a magical realism feeling due to how the existence of the astral plane and the ethereal world are connected to the physical world (the human world). This concept reminds me a lot of the time that I believed astral plane and other realms do exist but just hidden from our world. I still believe that to this day because it is possible other realms do exist, and so does astral projecting yourself and traveling to the astral plane and other realms. I loved that the author chose this concept and make it into a story, it is something that I feel deeply connected to, like there is something inside of me that knows how it feels like to experience the things that Briony and Alder experienced in the story. It feels like reading a story with this kind of concept just feels like home (I know how weird this sound to most people, but that’s exactly how I felt).

I loved the whole explanation about the astral plane and the ethereal world, and the descriptions of it and how the spirits and humans can walk in and out of it. I also really dig the whole thing about the nature spirit/nature god, the gods of four elements, and the gates that connect the ethereal world to the human world, the whole thing was just amazing. And then there was a matter about the fireflies. I mean, the world-building was so brilliantly crafted and it wasn’t that hard to understand or imagined it. The magic system was truly beautiful, I loved that the magic in this story is called mana, which the concept of it is familiar in some cultures. I guess the author did her research on it and used the mana magic thing for her story which really impressed me.

The writing was beautiful and smooth, and it makes the story flow so well. Also, I really liked the pacing. This book doesn’t have any filler chapters at all, it just get straight to the point, no delays or anything, which make it very rare because most books that I read, it has lots of filler chapters. So the fast-pacing and no filler chapters are the things that I truly loved about this book, and it also made the story more interesting and more enjoyable. I truly enjoyed the ton of actions this book has, all of it are so fantastic and I was anxious mainly because I thought Briony and Alder won’t succeed in their mission. Their mission was tough and very challenging, so it requires a lot of physical and magical fighting. It was pretty marvelous seeing these two using their powers and their skills to fight against creatures that are bigger and stronger than them. I think many people would feel satisfied by the amount of epic actions in the story.

As for the ending, it doesn’t end in a cliffhanger because the whole story and that ending wrap things up properly. I’m not sure if there will be a continuation or not, judging by everything that happened, how it came to an end and that beautiful ending, it feels like this is a standalone. Everything has been solved and there are no potential new threats that I see or aware of. To me, the story is already perfect as it is. The ending was truly beautiful and sweet, it’s what I hoped for since the beginning. I loved how the author ended the story, it was a perfect ending for this book. It wasn’t rushed and it made a lot of sense.

Briony and Alder are the main protagonists of the story, they are the hero and heroine of this book. Briony just found out what happened to her in the past and she just want to find the missing pieces of her life. She had an amnesia and there was a deep part of her that wanted to find answers to everything that she doesn’t remember. Nobody can blame her for going back to the place that had become her nightmare. It was a brave decision but also what she was about to face is beyond her imagination. Getting to know Alder all over again helps bring back her old memories slowly, and it also slowly fill the hole inside of her.

She is a brave person and even though what she had to face in the story is new to her, she wasn’t afraid of it and she even get ready to face any tough challenges. I liked that she doesn’t complain for doing the dangerous missions but instead she was so determined to finish it due to her desperation of trying to get her mother back. Not only was she brave, but she was also a strong and tough heroine. She faced all the tough challenges without breaking a sweat. It took her awhile to embraced her magic and finally be able to use it. Briony is a great person, with or without magic, she is still the same her. She has a big and kind heart, and that is what makes her a great heroine. She is definitely my one of my top favorite YA heroines, there are not many YA heroines like her.

Alder is a great hero, the hero that we all deserved. He is calm, scared, protective, caring, and powerful. He is so different than most heroes in YA stories that I’ve known. He’s not a controlling guy, he’s not manipulating anyone, he’s not rude, and he’s not a brute for sure. He was so kind and so protective of Briony. His sweet words to her was very calming. He had a hard time talking to Briony at first, it has been 6 years since he last met her and they were childhood best friends once and now the girl he held dear came back with no memories of their past. I understood his struggles to protect her, but he never stop caring for her. He was scared for Briony’s life and even at times confused on how to help her finish the mission.

He was a very complex character, it wasn’t easy trying to understand him. He doesn’t want to share too much about who he is, which was surprising when it was revealed later on about his true nature. I didn’t expect the twist at all, but it all make sense. Alder just had a hard time trying to process everything I guess, but he has been helpful and always lead Briony’s back to him. I pity him actually, I was sad knowing he had no one in his life and that he only has Briony, the loneliness was too much that I want him to be happy. He is like a mysterious guy but a kind one.

I came into a conclusion that this book doesn’t have a villain and I’m not even complaining. I was fine with it and this book can be the first book I read where it doesn’t feature any villainous characters.

I appreciate the amount of romance the author put in the story. It wasn’t too little and it wasn’t too much either. The amount was well-balanced. Alder and Briony does have great chemistry even though they were separated for years, but their connection still remains alive and strong. And their chemistry never fades away. It was a slow-burn process and it had more development. I knew they will somehow get together, but I didn’t expect them to have a very sweet and epic relationship.

The book doesn’t just have a beautiful cover, and a beautiful story. But the book also delivered a beautiful message about nature. I highly recommend this book. It has a very incredible plot and very great and clever characters that everyone will like. Reading this book brings a lot of joy to me. I finished it in one sitting and it took me only one whole day to finished it which I’d never done before. This book deserve a lot of love, and I’m so happy with the direction of the story and I enjoyed it from the very first page until the end. It was a heartwarming and well-crafted story that has something to do with nature and also a little bit astral projection. This book just speaks to me on a deeper level, and it amazed me.

Glow of the Fireflies by Lindsey Duga is an imaginative and spellbinding tale that captivated me until the very last page. It’s fascinating, atmospheric, thrilling and absolutely wonderful.

I’ve read one other book by Duga, The Kiss of the Royal, and absolutely loved that so I was really looking forward to reading this. While I didn’t completely fall head over heels in love with this book, I think Duga has created a magical and unique story that is charming, surprising, and a lot of fun. It’s enticing in its own way, entertaining enough, and definitely shines.

Duga’s mesmerizing storytelling effortlessly transport readers into an enchanting and fantastical world that is filled with magic, mystery, and adventure. Reading this story was such an interesting, unique, and delightfully fun experience. I felt like I was part of the narrative as one of the characters and I really enjoyed it. The prose is absolutely beautiful and the concept is so creative. The world-building is fabulous and I loved the detailed and lush descriptions of the setting and sceneries. It honestly felt like I was there at Firefly Valley exploring the Smoky Mountains, hiking the trials, and going on a fun adventure. I think Duga perfectly mixes intrigue, suspense, action, light drama, humor, and romance. The pacing is smooth and the plot is engaging and has quite a few twists and surprises. The ending feels just right, but I definitely expected an epilogue.

With their own charm and quirks, the characters undeniably captured my heart. I thought they’re well-rounded, relatable, and realistic. Briony is a fantastic heroine. She’s caring, determined and does not give up so easily. Alder is sweet, brave, and will do anything to protect Briony. I adore them both as individuals and swooned over their heartwarming and cute romance. Izzie is a wonderful best friend and I love her feisty personality, loyalty, and protective nature. The mythical creatures are really fascinating and I enjoyed meeting them all. I do have a favorite, but I don’t want to spoil anything so I’m just going to say that some of those creatures are quite impressive. Duga’s imagination and talent is simply remarkable and this magical story truly comes alive.

Lindsey Duga takes readers on an exciting journey in this dazzling fantasy romance story. Glow of the Fireflies is beautifully written, engrossing, and wildly imaginative. With breathtaking imagery, lovely setting, loveable characters, magnificent creatures, a sweet romance, and an engaging plot with plenty of fun surprises, this uniquely enthralling tale satisfies, thrills, and is a delight to read. Definitely recommend you add this book on your TBR.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review and for participating in a blog tour hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have received an arc of Glow of the Fireflies by Netgalley.

It was the first time I was reading a book from this author and wasn’t dissapointed. I have really love it and the cover is so pretty.

Briony never planned to go back to the place she lost everything.

Firefly Valley, nestled deep within the Smoky Mountains, is better kept in her past. After an unexplained fire gave Briony amnesia, her mother disappeared and her dad moved them to Knoxville.

But when her grandmother needs someone to help her after an accident, her father volunters her to hepl. As soon as she return to Firefly Valley she soon feels a magical connection to this place, as if it’s was part of her.

She meets an hot guy who claims to be her childhood friend, and soon start to find pieces of her lost childhood and learn that her mother didn’t abandonned her but is trapped into an hidden world.

She will do anything to save her mom, even standing up after dangerous nature spirits.