• Age: 13 to 18
• Grade: 8 to 12
• Reading age: 13 to 18

"Full of action, godly hijinks, and magical artifacts, Giselle Vriesen's WHY WE PLAY WITH FIRE is an adventure from the very first page." — Kendare Blake, #1 NYT Bestselling author of Champion of Fate

In a thrilling journey of self-discovery and magical intrigue, Thea finds herself transported to a house for the children of gods, where she must retrieve lost keys while navigating secrets, rival schools, and her own doubts, all before the shadow creatures catch up to her.

Embark on a spellbinding odyssey of self-discovery, where Thea's extraordinary journey unfolds within a realm of enchantment and peril. Desperate to escape encroaching darkness, Thea is propelled through a mystical well by her mother and grandmother, left only with a cryptic mission to "retrieve the keys."

However, her destination defies all expectations as she arrives at an extraordinary haven—a house known as Malachite. Within the hallowed halls of Malachite, Thea unveils a world far beyond her wildest imagination. Amidst an intricate tapestry of training and elusive artifacts, she discovers a mysterious box safeguarded by the students' within the home.

But when the three keys that allow access to the box disappear, Thea's mixed-race ancestry and connection to two gods launch her on an all-consuming quest that awakens her to her divine lineage and an awe-inspiring destiny.

Thea becomes determined to reclaim the keys before the approaching Winter Solstice, navigating treacherous rivalries and evading the clutches of the morally ambiguous Arcana—a competing school with nefarious intentions.

When her comrades fall into captivity, and two keys remain lost, Thea must gain confidence in her new abilities and leadership role to see this through. Amidst the crumbling facade of deceit and the allure of Zero, the enigmatic Arcana prodigy, she must maintain focus, for time is dwindling, and the shadow creatures draw ever closer.

As her parentage unravels and her nascent abilities blossom, Thea grapples with inner doubt and anxieties that threaten to shackle her potential. Will she rally her friends and harness her newfound powers to secure the keys' safe return? Or will her wavering confidence consign her to failure, succumbing to the clutches of the encroaching shadows?

Join Thea on an electrifying adventure where the boundaries of magic and self-belief intertwine, and the fate of worlds rests upon her resilient shoulders.

Drawing inspiration from her love of mythology and her diverse Jamaican, Chinese, and European-Canadian heritage, Giselle Vriesen seamlessly merges mystical themes with the real-world experiences of characters living in the margins. You can find the author dreaming up new stories, crafting forest fairies, and exploring nature at home in Canada's Southern Gulf Islands. Why We Play With Fire is Vriesen’s debut offering.

Giselle Vriesen's profile page

An engrossing, riveting debut! This fresh rendition on gods, goddess, and global mythology will stick with you long after you binge-read it in one sitting.

Josephine Angelini, author of the Starcrossed Trilogy

Full of action, godly hijinks, and magical artifacts, Giselle Vriesen's WHY WE PLAY WITH FIRE is an adventure from the very first page.

Kendare Blake, #1 <I>New York Times</I> bestselling author of Champion of Fate