The last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles #1) by Farah Oomerbhoy Spoiler-Free Review

16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad. Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear. With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.

This book. I can't even. So good. Help me.

The Last of the Firedrakes starts out with the main character, Aurora, living with her aunt and uncle, alongside their vicious daughter, Charlotte. We learn that her birth parents had died when she was months old and that she'd been adopted by a welcoming family who treated her very well. Unfortunately, they too had died, which left her with the single option of living in her horrid uncle's home.

At first glance at the book, it seems like a modern day contemporary novel. In fact, as I was reading the first couple of chapters, I had to go online a few times and make sure that this is a fantasy book. Aurora appears to be living a normal current-day teenager's life, with her biggest worries being her grades and her crush on the hottest guy in school. However, she eventually gets kidnapped and thrown into a magical portal that carries her to a world where faeries and mean magical tyrants live. Aurora is tossed into a cell, which is where she meets two young faeries, Finn and Kalen. Finn immediately raises a weary feeling in Aurora but she quickly gains a liking towards Kalen, who is a babbling sweetheart. They are then saved by a wanted man who goes by the name 'The Black Wolf,' who's real identity remains unknown for the majority of the book, and who Aurora begins to feel adoration for as she discovers her way through this new magical world with his help.

My thoughts on this book are that it easily one of my new favourite fantasy books of all time. Farah Oomerbhoy strategically balances out the mystical element to the real life element in the book, making it easy for the reader to imagine this new mystical world. It also helps that everything is described in careful detail, which makes the readers feel like they are the ones trapped in this new dimension. I really adored the character growth of Aurora who at the beginning of the book was an awkward teenager and by the end she was a complete badass. I loved the supporting characters as well, and I adored that 'The Black Wolf's' identity had been kept secret for most of the book, as it had added a mystery element to the story.

In conclusion, The Last of the Firesdrakes is simply one of the current best fantasy books released this year, and I believe that it should become a stable name in the world of literature. Who knows, maybe someday it will get turned into a movie because it certainly deserves it.