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Fate of Flames
(Effigies #1)
by
Years ago, everything changed. Phantoms, massive beasts of nightmare, began terrorizing the world. At the same time four girls, the Effigies, appeared, each with the unique power to control a classical element. Since then, they have protected the world from the Phantoms. At the death of one Effigy, another is chosen, pulled from her normal life into the never-ending battle
...more
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Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
November 22nd 2016
by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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Sarah Raughley
Three books in all!
Jessica
yes, you can read it. No sexually scenes, or overall cursing. Violence is in it, but nothing bad that you could have seen in TV, Movies and News.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Fate of Flames (Effigies, #1)

This is my book! Basic Premise: PACIFIC RIM meets the AVENGERS with a SAILOR MOON cast.
What does that mean?
Basically:
1) Bad Ass Pretty Girls
2) Fighting Monsters
3) While the World is Watching
Uh but unlike Pacific Rim there's no mecha(yet?), sorry Gundam fans! :)
If you've got any comments or questions? Put em right here :) Check my blog and twitter for up to date news!
ALSO:
August 17 - Hey Canadians! We're doing a goodreads giveaway just for you! It's happening right now, ending August 31 ...more
What does that mean?
Basically:
1) Bad Ass Pretty Girls


2) Fighting Monsters

3) While the World is Watching

Uh but unlike Pacific Rim there's no mecha
If you've got any comments or questions? Put em right here :) Check my blog and twitter for up to date news!
ALSO:
August 17 - Hey Canadians! We're doing a goodreads giveaway just for you! It's happening right now, ending August 31 ...more

Fate of Flames is my new favourite dystopian book. It has amazing characters, a fantastic plot, and a stunning new world. The book has so much action, you won’t want to put it down.
There can only be four Effigies at one time. If one Effigie dies, their power moves on to the next person chosen. When Natalya turns up dead, it is Maia Finley who becomes her successor. The power of fire has been handed to Maia, she has no choice but to train her powers and fight alongside Bella, Chae Rin, and Lake t ...more
There can only be four Effigies at one time. If one Effigie dies, their power moves on to the next person chosen. When Natalya turns up dead, it is Maia Finley who becomes her successor. The power of fire has been handed to Maia, she has no choice but to train her powers and fight alongside Bella, Chae Rin, and Lake t ...more

*** Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley
Book One of the Effigies series
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Rating: 2 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Four girls with the power to control the elements and save the world from a terrible evil must come together in the first epic novel in a brand-new series.
When Phantoms—massive beasts made from nightmares and darkness—suddenly appeared and began terrorizing t ...more
Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley
Book One of the Effigies series
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Rating: 2 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Four girls with the power to control the elements and save the world from a terrible evil must come together in the first epic novel in a brand-new series.
When Phantoms—massive beasts made from nightmares and darkness—suddenly appeared and began terrorizing t ...more

UPDATE
: This review can now be found on my blog, Rosaline's Rolls & Scrolls.

~ After reading - Full Review ~
Well, Logical Side of My Brain, I should have listened to you!

Beware the long rant!
Let me start by saying that I knew I shouldn't have read this. Call it a reader's hunch. I just knew it was going to be a pain, but that damn gorgeous cover and the author's promise of cool monsters and badass superheroines charmed me into getting this book. And I just hoped that the book was going to ...more

~ After reading - Full Review ~
Well, Logical Side of My Brain, I should have listened to you!

Beware the long rant!
Let me start by saying that I knew I shouldn't have read this. Call it a reader's hunch. I just knew it was going to be a pain, but that damn gorgeous cover and the author's promise of cool monsters and badass superheroines charmed me into getting this book. And I just hoped that the book was going to ...more

I was so excited when I won this ARC in a Goodreads Giveaway. Its been on my most anticipated list for a long time. I love that its written by a Canadian author and that alone makes me want to love this book. The Pacific Rim with a Sailor Moon cast reference had me hooked right away. Ive loved sailor moon ever since I was a kid and I really enjoyed Pacific Rim. Due to the mix reviews I was a little worried but still hopeful.
Off to a promising start with a phantom attack within the first couple p ...more
Off to a promising start with a phantom attack within the first couple p ...more

According to the author: Basic Premise: PACIFIC RIM meets the AVENGERS with a SAILOR MOON cast.
I know the ratings aren't that good, but she had me at Sailor Moon. :D
...more
I know the ratings aren't that good, but she had me at Sailor Moon. :D


High school student Maia Finley has been holding in a secret for a few days now. She knows that one of her idols must have died because now Maia has been chosen to take her place as the new Fire Effigy. There are always four Effigies at any given time and when one dies another young girl will be chosen by fate to inherit the magical abilities of one of the four elements.
When the city of New York comes under attack from phantoms with the protection system down Maia finds herself tossed into the ...more
When the city of New York comes under attack from phantoms with the protection system down Maia finds herself tossed into the ...more


I was provided with an ARC of Fate Of Flames by Sarah Raughley from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for and honest review.
3.5 Stars
The first time I had heard of Fate Of Flames, it was marketed as Sailor Moon meets Avatar: The Last Airbender. Let me tell you, they had me at Sailor Moon. I grew up watching that show and to come across a novel that has a similar aspect? Consider it sold.
--
What I Liked
Our home and native land! Yes, this book partially took place in Canada! Also known as, my home ...more


HAHAHA YOU MEAN SOMETHING LİKE THIS?

Dont give a shit about PACIFIC RIM (It's just slightly better than Transformers but both have cliche scenes, predictable story, bad acting, focus on visual stimulation so no shit given there.) but damn you whoever wrote that. AVENGERS with a SAILOR MOON cast? I'M SO IN BABY. I'M SO IN.
Sailor Moon fan in me:

Avengers fan in me:

If this one mixes:

with

and adds some of the

I'll one happy girl but none of the-

I'm too old for that shit.
And oh, please be good.

...more

Basically, it's the parts of Buffy, Pacific Rim, and Avatar: The Last Airbender that I loved the most, with twists and turns of its own, and some really excellent world building.
It's messy and complicated and full of girls and and you should buy it. ...more
It's messy and complicated and full of girls and and you should buy it. ...more

Full Review on The Candid Cover
Fate of Flames is unlike anything I’ve read before. This book is about a group of girls who fight phantoms to save the world. The main character goes from fangirl to fighter, even if it takes time. However, the story was pretty slow and there were a few parts that seemed dry, affecting my overall enjoyment.
This book has such an intriguing concept! Basically, there is this group of girls, called Effigies, who have to fight phantoms and save the world. I really enjoy ...more
Fate of Flames is unlike anything I’ve read before. This book is about a group of girls who fight phantoms to save the world. The main character goes from fangirl to fighter, even if it takes time. However, the story was pretty slow and there were a few parts that seemed dry, affecting my overall enjoyment.
This book has such an intriguing concept! Basically, there is this group of girls, called Effigies, who have to fight phantoms and save the world. I really enjoy ...more

So, back in March, the Dutch publisher Blossom Books asked their ambassadors (including me) to read some manuscripts for them. This is one of the books I've read in this period, as well as The Witch's Kiss and one other, which I'm allowed to mention when that one is published :)
This is an awesome book about girlpower. The world is under attack by monsters, and only 4 girl, Effifies, on the globe have to power to really fight them. What you get is 4 chicks constantly saving the world, how cool is ...more
This is an awesome book about girlpower. The world is under attack by monsters, and only 4 girl, Effifies, on the globe have to power to really fight them. What you get is 4 chicks constantly saving the world, how cool is ...more

10/19/16:
Absolutely infuriating to read. It's been so long so I've read a book where I could find almost NO redeeming qualities, no matter what kind of excuses I make up for it. By page 200 I was rage reading it.
Was it because of the cardboard, weak main character whose dialogue never amounted to anything and actions that were stagnant throughout the book?
Was it the lack of growth in the characters that I could read about?
Was it the fact that most of the girls were embroiled in stereotype -lik ...more
Absolutely infuriating to read. It's been so long so I've read a book where I could find almost NO redeeming qualities, no matter what kind of excuses I make up for it. By page 200 I was rage reading it.
Was it because of the cardboard, weak main character whose dialogue never amounted to anything and actions that were stagnant throughout the book?
Was it the lack of growth in the characters that I could read about?
Was it the fact that most of the girls were embroiled in stereotype -lik ...more


FATE OF FLAMES is the first book in the Effigies series. When I read the blurb of this story, I was immediately drawn in by its premise. Four girls with the power to control the elements are responsible for saving the world from terrible evil. These Phantoms continue to terrorize the city of Manhattan and when you throw in the fact that these girls are essentially supposed to be superheroes you would think this would be a pretty epic book.
However, I didn’t love it. I liked it enough to finis ...more

Exciting! Mega-exciting! The action pulled me right in and wouldn’t let me go. (I immediately wanted to know what an Effigie is and how can I become one ;) ).
The characters are diverse and interesting. They captured my interest and I cared about them. I liked seeing the four girls coming together, overcoming their daemons, working through their weaknesses, pulling out their strengths. I am very much looking forward to the next installment so I can continue along on their journey with them.
(view ...more
The characters are diverse and interesting. They captured my interest and I cared about them. I liked seeing the four girls coming together, overcoming their daemons, working through their weaknesses, pulling out their strengths. I am very much looking forward to the next installment so I can continue along on their journey with them.
(view ...more

Originally Posted On The Sassy Book Geek
Update: The more I think about this book the more I remember just how much the main character irritated me so I'm downgrading the rating because 3 stars means I did moderately enjoy and "Fate of Flames" I don't think deserves that.
**** Big thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review****
This was a book that was hard to rate because I liked the concept a lot but overall “Fate of Flames” was really meh. So it g ...more
Update: The more I think about this book the more I remember just how much the main character irritated me so I'm downgrading the rating because 3 stars means I did moderately enjoy and "Fate of Flames" I don't think deserves that.
**** Big thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review****
This was a book that was hard to rate because I liked the concept a lot but overall “Fate of Flames” was really meh. So it g ...more

Find this review and more on my blog: Sometimes Leelynn Reads
"Technically, this was what I'd always wanted, in a way... To fight like one of them. To save lives like one of them. And now I was one of them. An Effigy. Careful what you wish for, I guess."
So my library was doing a "Blind Date with a Book" thing, and the description is what made me get this. I had no idea what the title was or anything because of course, it was wrapped up in brown packaging and only had bullet points as a summary. I ...more
"Technically, this was what I'd always wanted, in a way... To fight like one of them. To save lives like one of them. And now I was one of them. An Effigy. Careful what you wish for, I guess."
So my library was doing a "Blind Date with a Book" thing, and the description is what made me get this. I had no idea what the title was or anything because of course, it was wrapped up in brown packaging and only had bullet points as a summary. I ...more

After being a huge fan of Raughley's debut novel, I'm sad to be so whelmed by Fate of Flames. It tries to mix magical realism, paranormal, and sci-fi in unsatisfying ways and I didn't come out of the book feeling it had a satisfactory ending even for the first book in a series. It feels like a backstory given full form. It does an incredible job of humanizing the girls and deconstructing the Magical Girl trope via showing how hard it is for these teenage girls to put their lives on the line and
...more

3.5 / 5 Fangs
Fate of Flames started off with a bang. From the first chapter, I was captivated by the world the author created. I will admit that the world building was a little weak, so it was hard to understand some of the aspects of the world. The author included some much-needed information as the book went on, so that helped me understand what was going on. However, I do still feel like there are some unanswered questions about the world and the Effigies that I hope will be addressed in th ...more
Fate of Flames started off with a bang. From the first chapter, I was captivated by the world the author created. I will admit that the world building was a little weak, so it was hard to understand some of the aspects of the world. The author included some much-needed information as the book went on, so that helped me understand what was going on. However, I do still feel like there are some unanswered questions about the world and the Effigies that I hope will be addressed in th ...more

DNF - Couldn't get into this one.
...more

(3.5)
okay but the ending like. holy fuck
Rep: Black mc, Korean side character
okay but the ending like. holy fuck
Rep: Black mc, Korean side character

Sarah Raughley's Fate of Flames is a very ambitious introduction to the Effigies series. Pitched as a combination of Pacific Rim, Sailor Moon, and The Avengers, I definitely had some high expectations when I first started the book. And you know what? I loved Fate of Flames! It gave me four female superheroes to cheer on as they used their powers to fight monsters and save humankind.
Two days ago, Maia Finley became the newest Fire Effigy, succeeding one of the most legendary Effigies who ever liv ...more
Two days ago, Maia Finley became the newest Fire Effigy, succeeding one of the most legendary Effigies who ever liv ...more


I featured it on my blog in an old session of Top Tuesday. It'd been pitched as "Pacific Rim meets the Avengers with a Sailor Moon cast." COME ON.
Fortunately for her, ...more

Mar 10, 2016
Jamie (Books and Ladders)
rated it
did not like it
Shelves:
young-adult,
fantasy,
arc-reviews,
2016-release,
simon-pulse,
did-not-finish,
november-2016
Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 35%
I made it farther than my typical 25% before DNF-ing only because I am reviewing it on Books Are My Fandom for one of our BAMF Reviews, but I just couldn't read anymore. Thinking about going back to it is making me want to cry. I was bored and I feel like with a book that has destructo-beasts and girls with superpowers, I should be ENTHRALLED not wondering how Jurassic Park was still made in 1991 when the world ...more
DNF @ 35%
I made it farther than my typical 25% before DNF-ing only because I am reviewing it on Books Are My Fandom for one of our BAMF Reviews, but I just couldn't read anymore. Thinking about going back to it is making me want to cry. I was bored and I feel like with a book that has destructo-beasts and girls with superpowers, I should be ENTHRALLED not wondering how Jurassic Park was still made in 1991 when the world ...more

I LOVED IT, honestly. This book is like... everything I never knew I needed. And I don't know why I haven't seen more people talking about it?????
-dystopia/SF/F
-Jamaican-American mc superhero (who I *think* is #ownvoices??)
-really fascinating, satisfying worldbuilding
-such an amazing exploration fandom (and all the ups and downs)
-like honestly who knew you could smoosh together SF/F and fandom culture so seamlessly into one book!! Because I did not!
-exploration of internalized misogyny
-use ...more
-dystopia/SF/F
-Jamaican-American mc superhero (who I *think* is #ownvoices??)
-really fascinating, satisfying worldbuilding
-such an amazing exploration fandom (and all the ups and downs)
-like honestly who knew you could smoosh together SF/F and fandom culture so seamlessly into one book!! Because I did not!
-exploration of internalized misogyny
-use ...more

Mar 23, 2016
Sandra
marked it as to-read
A superhero fantasy pitched as PACIFIC RIM meets the AVENGERS with a SAILOR MOON cast.


Mar 06, 2016
Cody Roecker
marked it as to-read
I am so excited because I have won an ARC to be sent to me as soon as ARCs are in print! Cannot wait!!!!
Sarah Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one. She is a huge fangirl of anything from manga to SF/F TV to Japanese Role Playing Games, but she will swear up and down that she was inspired by ~Jane Austin~ at book signings. On top of being a YA Writer, she is currently completing a PhD in English, because the
...more
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Effigies
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