Author: Hannah Haze

Series: The Firestone Academy

First Published: 02 July 2025

“I’d do anything for you.”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Hannah for sending a copy my way!

I will try and keep my review as spoiler free as possible but just be wary if you haven’t read the first book, Storm of Shadows.

The Princes believe they can protect me. But what they don’t understand is that no one is safe in the academy. Not even them.

We’ve survived one semester of deadly trials, but darker forces are gathering within these ancient walls.

We’re all guarding secrets. All hiding bitter truths.

And while hunting for the truth may put my life at risk, it won’t stop me from trying.

Who killed my sister?

Why is the stone I’ve kept hidden suddenly cracking?

And why do the three most powerful shadow weavers in the academy believe I belong to them?

I’m determined to find my answers before the academy claims another victim.

What I don’t expect to discover: I’m hiding secrets from myself—secrets that could shatter everything I thought I knew about who I am and what I’m capable of..

I am not okay! Spark of Sorcery ends with a massive reveal. I am dying for the next one. We’ve learned more about Briony’s sister’s death, but the longer we spend at Firestone Academy, the more sinister things become. I’m hooked — I need to know all the answers!

The story continues directly after the first trial at the end of Storm of Shadows. I will keep things vague to avoid spoilers. We see the Princes freaking out what happened to Briony. Briony — no surprise — is doing her best to push everyone away to protect them while also focusing on her goal. We dive deep into the mystery and realise that danger is coming from high places and those in power are determined to keep Briony at the bottom of the pack. The Princes, and other top Shadow Weavers, are additionally deployed to the front lines after a brutal attack. I wonder if this was a way to put the Princes in danger or to keep them distracted and misinformed. Or maybe it’s a way to help cement their belief in the current dystopic, societal structure.

I love how Briony, Fly and Clare work together to uncover answers while also preparing for the upcoming trial. I adore their friendship. Love that Briony has people in her corner. We also have a sentient library that assists them in exchange for a compliment, which I adored. It was so fun!

The romance takes an interesting turn as a new guy enters the chat. I knew something was going on with him, when we met him in the first book. But I had it all wrong! I had thought he had something to do with the death of Briony’s sister, not that he was her mate. This makes things interesting, especially with how territorial the Princes are. The guys all come to a tentative truce, with both parties pledging to protect Briony from the dangers in the academy.

The tension between Briony and the guys is building deliciously. Beau can’t help but bark at her, assuming Briony will fall in line because of societal rules even though he knows she doesn’t give two shits about it, so the pair are constantly bickering. I know Briony has good reasons for rejecting the Princes’ thrall collar, but I’m interested to see how this collar will protect her, as clues suggest it’s not merely a status symbol. I love getting to see more from Thorne. He’s been lurking in the background, ensuring that Briony is kept safe from their violent classmate, but has been actively avoiding her. We learn more about his abilities and the danger they present. I adored getting to see a softer side of him. Thorne is the one that Briony goes to when she needs help. Last but not least, there is Dray. He is still his fun-loving, psychotic self. He’s always willing to play and banter with Briony. I adored their whole interaction at the ball. Despite the playful side, Dray will stop at nothing to keep her safe, including hunting down those who hurt her.

Spark of Sorcery was a fantastic addition to this series. I could not put it down. I am counting down the days till the third book, Taste of Thorns, releases. This is my perfect brand of paranormal romance—it has a why choose romance and a magical school setting, and honestly, what more could I want? If you love a paranormal romance and haven’t tried Hannah Haze yet, you need to pick up this series.