Glow of the Fireflies by Lindsey Duga Pages: 350
on October 1, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy & Magic
Source: Paperback ARC from Publisher
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 now her grandmother needs a caretaker and Briony's dad volunteers her to help. The moment she returns, her whole world shifts. She feels a magical connection to this valley, as if it's literally part of her somehow.
And when she meets a hot guy who claims he was her childhood friend but now mysteriously keeps his distance, Briony starts piecing together her missing past...and discovers her mother didn't leave to start a new life somewhere. She's trapped in the hidden world within the valley.
Now, Briony will do whatever it takes to rescue her, even if it means standing up against dangerously powerful nature spirits. Even if it means giving up her first love.
Glow of the Fireflies is a young adult standalone magic fantasy by Lindsey Duga. Lindsey Duga wrote one of my favorite books of last year- Kiss of the Royal, so to say I was excited about her next book was an understatement. And I am happy to report that I really loved Glow of the Fireflies. I still think Kiss of the Royal is my favorite book of hers, but her writing is so magical that it is hard not to completely fall in love with her characters and her stories. She is one of my newest favorite authors. Next, I think I would love for her to write an epic fantasy romance series.
In Glow of the Fireflies wee meet our main character Briony. Briony sets out on a magical adventure to rescue her mother. I think Glow of the Fireflies is a mixture of magical realism and fantasy, which is a genre I have not read too much of. The magical realism aspect comes in from the books setting. Glow of the Fireflies takes place in Firefly valley, deep within the Smokey Mountains. But then we also have some parallel universe action happening. It was really well done.
I also loved the cast of characters Lindsey created. Briony is fantastic, but her best friend Izzie also stole the show in my opinion. They have a wonderful friendship, which you know I am always a fan of in books. I like seeing healthy friendships depicted because I think far too often we see toxic relationships and awful friends in books. But Izzie is loyal and her personality is infectious. I loved her. Briony, Izzie And Alder set off to figure out what happened to her mom, and along the way they learn about magic energies, astral planes, and there are plenty of twists, turns and surprises to keep the reader engaged until the very last page. I thoroughly enjoyed Briony’s journey and I was really happy with the way everything wrapped up. If you are looking for a delightful story that is well written with great characters, you have to try a book by Lindsey Duga. She is an excellent author, and Glow of the Fireflies is a great standalone fantasy. I loved it.
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Gold Prize (Grand Prize- US only)
Annotated Book
Amazon Gift Card $25
Commissioned Art Print
Catching Fireflies Soy Candle
Fireflies Key Chain
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Annotated Book
Amazon Gift Card $10
Commissioned Art Print (plus various swag)
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About Lindsey Duga
Lindsey Duga developed a deep love for courageous heroes, dastardly villains, and enchanting worlds from the cartoon shows, books, and graphic novels she read as a kid. Drawing inspiration from these fantastical works of fiction, she wrote her first novel in college while she was getting her bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University. By day, Lindsey is an account manager at a digital marketing agency based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. By night, and the wee hours of the morning, she writes both middle grade and young adult. She has a weakness for magic, anything classical, all kinds of mythology, and falls in love with tragic heroes. Other than writing and cuddling with her morkie puppy, Delphi, Lindsey loves catching up on the latest superhero TV show, practicing yoga, and listening (and belting) to her favorite music artists and show tunes. KISS OF THE ROYAL is her YA debut novel.
sherry fundin
i have seen the book around and that cover catches my eye every time
sherry @ fundinmental
Jen
I’m so happy to hear how much you enjoyed this book! I’m planning on reading it this month, keeping my fingers I love as much as you did! Also I completely agree, I love seeing true strong friendships too, yay for that!
Ellen in Marketing
This sounds like a great read, especially for YA, but I really wanted to write to say how much I respect people who can engage in a somewhat creative job, like digital marketing, and still find the time and energy to complete a creative project like this.