Illusions of Fire
OCTOBER 7, 2025
First love. First kill. Just another day ending in y when you’re a monster-slayer trained by Hindu demons.
Unlike most of her classmates, Laila Bansal doesn’t roll out of bed and head to school. Instead, she wakes up early and trains in hand-to-hand combat with her adopted aunts who, when not tending to their thriving vineyard, are immortal Rakshasi demons sworn to protect Laila. Laila was born into a mythological bloodline—one infused with magic and entrusted with Lord Krishna’s secrets of the universe. By all appearances, though, Laila leads a peaceful, protected life.
Then Karan, the new boy in town, seeks out Laila. He also happens to be a descendant of a demi-god. As Karan and Laila grow closer, neither of them know about the curse on their bloodlines. Together, they might make a great couple…either that, or their chemistry is about to end the world by unleashing some deadly, monstrous mythical creatures. Magical powers get activated, dark forces converge, and it looks like Laila’s quiet town in upstate New York will be the setting for an epic battle.
Author Nisha Sharma deftly weaves together romance, magic, and mythology in this contemporary young adult urban fantasy novel.
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BOOK BUZZ
“[Illusions of Fire] is a fast-paced continuation of a Hindu epic with all the trappings of a truly YA riveting fantasy: mythology, prophecies, magic, fiery romance, and gripping fight sequences.” – Booklist, Starred Review
“Weaving together South Asian mythology with the stories of the Mahabharata, Sharma tells a beautiful story of destinies, familial expectations, and deep betrayals.”– BCCB
“A fiery fantasy that proves that sometimes the most dangerous battles are the ones within.” – Kirkus