The Fire Children by Lauren Roy

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The Fire Children by Lauren Roy

This young adult, fantasy focuses on fifteen year old Yulla as her family, and all of Kaladim, prepare for the Darktimes. This is when Mother Sun and Sister Moon come together. It's also when Mother Sun's children, the Fire Children, come to visit.

The people of Kaladim worship Mother Sun, and love her children, but because her children are fire they retreat to the safety of their underground tunnels. They've done so for years, and not without reason.
In these tunnels, without any light, the people will stay until Mother Sun and Sister Moon call back the children and Mother Sun shines again.
No one stays out during the Darktimes.

On the second day of the Darktimes Yulla sees someone outside the tunnels, one of the Witch Women. Rumors say they worship Father Sea, but Father Sea is dead, dried up by Mother Sun.

With more curiosity than is good for her, Yulla opens the door into her family's basement, and climbs unknowingly into adventure.

I thoroughly enjoyed her adventure.
With a slight feel of India (whether purposely or not), and a world so richly developed I could almost taste it, this is one story I'd love to revisit over and over again.
A touch of romance, and a good bit of action, mixed with such fantastical magic as a lamp flame leaving it's wick and floating through the air, puts this book on my top shelf.

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