Title: Fire and Water
Series: Celestia Chronicles Book #1
Author: Anagha Ratish
Publisher: Notion Press
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
First Publication: 2021
Language: English
Book Summary: Fire and Water by Anagha Ratish
The world was slowly dissolving into chaos,
When a zaralia stumbled in.
But not this world,
A world with magic that would make your head spin.
Celestia – a world of pixies,
With four kingdoms that flourished.
Sprawling forests, shimmering lakes,
And rulers who were cherished.
The wane began when the great king of Emberglass,
The kingdom of Infernos in the north,
Was murdered with his wife and eldest daughter, alas,
Leaving young princess Zyra to rule forth.
No sooner had the queen ascended her throne,
That she dropped her sweet façade.
She killed, looted and pillaged,
And burnt down the cities that were in her eyes, deeply flawed.
What happened next is unclear,
For the kingdom was shrouded in magic and mist,
The people could not rebel for fear,
That the queen would hunt them if they resist.
What happens next must be seen,
Can Adaire, Sapphire and Faye,
Defeat the evil queen,
And keep evil at bay?
Book Review: Fire and Water by Anagha Ratish
‘Celestia Chronicles: Fire and Water’ by Anagha Ratish is creative and unique while instilling the emotions, excitement (and fear) needed in a good children’s fantasy novels. That being said, this book truly stands on it’s own as a spectacular middle grade adventure that will leave you craving more every time you set the book down.
It’s a story of Adaire who finds herself into the land of pixies, dwarves, sorcery, and mayhem only to discover that she belongs there. Adaire, with the help of two other pixies named Sapphire and Faye, must defeat the wicked queen Zyra to save the Celestia. It was an exciting experience as a reader to travel through Adaire’s voyage of exploration, her experiences with eccentric characters, and her expedition to defeat evil.
This is the perfect tale of sweet and thrilling experiences. It features a high stakes competition that will keep you on the edge of your seat at every trial, while also focusing on the importance of friendship and believing in yourself. Adaire is such a fantastic protagonist with endless complexities and traits. ‘Celestia Chronicles: Fire and Water’ is a charming book having developed world with a unique magic system and fascinating characters. There are so many twists and turns and unanticipated events that it’s hard not to love.
The secondary characters are also fully fleshed out and wonderful. Sapphire and Faye are instantly warm and welcoming to Adaire, a pillar of friendliness and kindness that she needed in Celestia. The other characters we see in the Celestia are all a hodgepodge of eclectic, exciting, colourful creations. Together they make reading this book a wonderful experience.
The writing is wonderful too. It’s full of warmth that lights up the pages and makes the story feel even more magical than it is. There’s mystery and magical trials, adventures, all wrapped up with snippets of history about Celestia itself to help sustain and support the readers view of this world. It’s fast paced, but it doesn’t compromise on character development either, building up this wonderful story that hurtles full throttle to the end and a satisfying conclusion that also leaves it open for the series to continue.
Something which works so well in the book, is the multifaceted world that you can’t help but become immersed in. Not only is it so carefully crafted and detailed, it’s also incredibly alluring. So much so, that you want to stay in Celestia. It’s a world absolutely teeming with wonder. This is a truly delightful, fun, and consuming story. The amount of skill that went into this is mind-boggling and humbling, and it left me in awe that the author, Anagha Ratish, is just TWELVE years old.
‘Fire and Water’ is the first book in the ‘Celestia Chronicles’ series by Anagha Ratish and it is absolutely enchanting. It is an exciting fantasy tale full of magic, mischief, and wonder. I liked this first installment of Celestia Chronicles series and am anxiously awaiting the sequel. I would highly recommend to any reader of any age. This is a whimsical tale you will not want to miss.
