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Book Summary and Reviews of Her Hidden Fire by Cliodhna O'Sullivan

Her Hidden Fire by Cliodhna O'Sullivan

Her Hidden Fire

by Cliodhna O'Sullivan

  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • Published:
  • Mar 2026, 448 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Perfect for fans of Powerless, Lightlark, and Red Queen, this heart-pounding romantasy forces a girl to make an impossible decision: watch the boy she loves get exiled for lack of magic, or pass her formidable powers off as his own.

In a world where dragons soar through the skies and magical abilities are an elite privilege, the ruling family of Ailm's Keep is on a knife-edge: Can their son Ionáin prove that he can channel magic, or will his entire family be cast out in disgrace?

Éadha, a servant girl who loves Ionáin, is shocked to discover shortly before the test that she can wield magic herself. It's extremely rare for a girl to have this talent, especially outside the few great Families. At Ionáin's moment of truth, when it's clear he is about to fail, Éadha makes a desperate gamble to save him from humiliation by pretending her magic is his, forfeiting her own claim to power.

Her decision sends them both to an academy of magic, where she must shield her secret from every grim Master and scheming apprentice—especially the handsome but enigmatic Gry. As Éadha enters this whirlwind of patriarchy, class, heartache, and jealousy, she also learns about magic's terrible cost—the human price that Channellers willingly pay to maintain their power.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"O'Sullivan deftly interweaves Irish-mythology-inspired worldbuilding with dystopian fantasy trappings to deliver an intriguingly dark romance." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"O'Sullivan's Irish-inspired ­fantasy creates a lush landscape filled with magic and deceit that readers will be eager to uncover." —School Library Journal (starred review)

"Brimming with intrigue, romance, and peril, this fast-paced fantasy sweeps readers into a world of impossible choices and breathtaking twists that will leave them racing toward the end. A lush and compelling debut." —Kirkus Reviews

"This story will captivate any romantasy reader and have them eagerly awaiting the sequel." —Booklist

This information about Her Hidden Fire was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

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More Information

Clíodhna O'Sullivan is a writer based in Co. Louth, Ireland. She works as a legal counsel and plays in a band, Molasha (you can find them on Spotify!). She's married with three children, as well as far too many cats and a dog. You can follow her on Instagram @Cliodhna.OSullivan.

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Read-Alikes

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