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Flesh and Fire #2
A Light in the Flame
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book two in her Flesh and Fire series…
The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.
The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.
Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.
And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.
The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.
The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.
Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.
And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.
615 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2022
About the author
Jennifer L. Armentrout
156 books146k followersHey Guys! Please note: I don't send out ARCs for review. If you're interested in reviewing a book of mine before release date, please contact the appropriate publisher. I also do NOT check my Goodreads email.
To email me, please use the below addy.
[email protected]
# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.
To email me, please use the below addy.
[email protected]
# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,674 reviews
November 29, 2022
this sequel ascended me.
such is the power of daddy nyktos.
we do not deserve him.
such is the power of daddy nyktos.
we do not deserve him.
August 14, 2024
✅ Sexy characters
✅ Smut and sexual tension 🔥🔥
✅ Snark and funny dialogues
✅ Romance and angst
✅ World-building
✅ More drakens 🐉
✅🆗 Pace and plot (where was the plot?)
✅🆗 Action (the action scenes were very intense, but there was not that much action overall)
🆗❌ Sera’s unending and repetitive inner monologues
❗️❗️Cliffhanger
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: death, gore, and mentions of suicide attempt
Listening to the audiobook instead of reading the book made Sera’s inner monologues feel even longer and more repetitive. I will leave my 4-star rating because it’s the rating I gave the physical copy of the book, but I would give 3 or 3.5 stars to the audiobook because it felt SO. LONG. 😖
This sequel picks up right where A Shadow in the Ember ended, as Sera and Nyktos discover that Sera will most likely die because of the embers she holds inside her. As their time to find a way to remove the embers and save Sera is counted, they also need to navigate the politics of gods and primals, hide Sera’s ability from everyone, especially Kolis, and try to clear all the miscommunication between them too while they’re at it.
I absolutely adored the first book, and I fell in love with Sera and Nyktos as much, if not more, than I did with Poppy and Cas, but sadly this sequel was a little bit of a letdown for me. It felt like a filler book and I found the middle part to be so long. It just dragged on and on with repetitive inner monologues and discussions. The book was good overall, but it could have easily been 150 pages shorter and still convey all the relevant information. I don’t mind slower-paced books as long as I feel important things are happening. Here it was mostly Sera and Nyktos going around in a circle, tiptoeing around each other, and trying to figure out what they felt for each other and how to behave with each other.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a sucker for angsty romances and I loved the angst between Sera and Nyktos in the first part of the book. Good old miscommunication will do that, but after a while, it became repetitive, and Sera’s inner monologues about her feelings were always the same. That’s the reason I can't give this book 5 stars. It started so well with action, angsty moments, and intense conversations, and it ended with a bang and a cliffhanger, but in between, it was mostly Sera and Nyktos beating around the bush. Yes, Sera is strong and brave. Yes, she loves Nyktos. Yes, Nyktos cares for her as much as he can. Yes, she wants to be his consort for real. Yes, he wants her to stay with him too. Problem solved. We don’t need 400 pages of confused inner monologues and miscommunication to get there.
Even though I was a little annoyed near the end by Sera’s unending inner talks about her feelings for Nyktos, I still like her as the main character. She is still strong and determined to do whatever it takes to help the mortal realm, and also the Shadowlands because she came to care for the people she met there. The author did a splendid job with her, and I will be happy to read another book with her as the main character, as long as the long inner monologues are toned down a bit.
Sera changed in this book, becoming softer at times, and more assertive at others. She is still self-sacrificing, and it broke my heart to see how she felt like she had to sacrifice herself to help others or she would have no more purpose in life. And every time someone made her feel important because of herself and not because of the embers or because of her purpose, I wanted to hug her. Her despair and vulnerability were more apparent to everyone in this book, making her softer, but still deadly, and the way Nyktos and Nektas were there to support her was amazing. It was heartbreaking to see how she never had a real choice in her life and still didn’t really have one now, even though she didn’t feel like she was only a weapon honed to a single purpose anymore… All she’s ever wanted was to be free to make her own decisions and live her life, and she couldn’t even get that because of the embers she’s holding.
The romance could be described as a slow burn when it comes to admitting their feelings and talking about them, but it was not that slow when it came to sex. As in the From Blood and Ash series, there is quite a lot of smut, but contrary to the last 2 books of the FBAA series where it was just ridiculous at times how they couldn’t refrain from having sex in inappropriate moments, it’s not as bad in this book. Sera and Nyktos are obviously attracted to each other and there is great sexual chemistry between them, but while they are horny for each other, they can remain levelheaded and don’t always think about having sex with each other, and I liked that about their couple. I do love good smut, but there is a time and a place for it.
Their romance also has this doomed and tragic quality to it that makes it more gripping and intense, and I have to say that while I love Cas, I feel that Nyktos has more personality and individuality. He has his issues and worries, and it’s not all about Sera, there are also moments about him and his problems, and he has his character arc. I could go on and on about how much I love him, but I have a character limit to respect so I will simply say that he is perfection and strawberries and chocolate and I want one just like that for Christmas please, and thank you.
I. Love. Nektas.
So. Fucking. Much.
I love his steady, quiet, and reassuring presence, his maturity, his hidden sense of humor, and, let’s be honest, his powerful Dilf vibe. 😅
More seriously though, he was such a big help to Sera in this book, even though he was not always there with her. He seemed to always know what to say, or how to act to make her question herself or to reassure her about her worth and importance.
Also, the baby drakens are so freaking adorable. They killed me. I want a baby draken now.
They provided comic relief and heart-melting moments, and seeing Nyktos and Nektas interact with them was just swoon-worthy (I mean, who doesn’t like a sexy man with a caring daddy vibe?). I really hope that there will be more of Reaver-butt and Jadis in the next book because I cannot get enough of them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because of Nektas, Sera, and Nyktos, but I am still a little pissed that I had to read over 600 pages to get to that cliffhanger and I still feel that nothing really happened. This book could have been 400 pages long and still achieve the same thing plot-wise. There were just so many repetitive moments in the middle part and we were running around in circles. Despite that, I am going to read the next book because I need more baby drakens and more daddies Nyktos and Nektas in my life (#dilf 😏).
1. A Shadow in the Ember ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Smut and sexual tension 🔥🔥
✅ Snark and funny dialogues
✅ Romance and angst
✅ World-building
✅ More drakens 🐉
✅🆗 Pace and plot (where was the plot?)
✅🆗 Action (the action scenes were very intense, but there was not that much action overall)
🆗❌ Sera’s unending and repetitive inner monologues
❗️❗️Cliffhanger
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: death, gore, and mentions of suicide attempt
Listening to the audiobook instead of reading the book made Sera’s inner monologues feel even longer and more repetitive. I will leave my 4-star rating because it’s the rating I gave the physical copy of the book, but I would give 3 or 3.5 stars to the audiobook because it felt SO. LONG. 😖
But he was Nyktos now. Not Ash. He’d never be Ash to me again.
This sequel picks up right where A Shadow in the Ember ended, as Sera and Nyktos discover that Sera will most likely die because of the embers she holds inside her. As their time to find a way to remove the embers and save Sera is counted, they also need to navigate the politics of gods and primals, hide Sera’s ability from everyone, especially Kolis, and try to clear all the miscommunication between them too while they’re at it.
I absolutely adored the first book, and I fell in love with Sera and Nyktos as much, if not more, than I did with Poppy and Cas, but sadly this sequel was a little bit of a letdown for me. It felt like a filler book and I found the middle part to be so long. It just dragged on and on with repetitive inner monologues and discussions. The book was good overall, but it could have easily been 150 pages shorter and still convey all the relevant information. I don’t mind slower-paced books as long as I feel important things are happening. Here it was mostly Sera and Nyktos going around in a circle, tiptoeing around each other, and trying to figure out what they felt for each other and how to behave with each other.
“What you carry inside you is far too important. They have to be part of the key to ending what Kolis has done. You may value those embers as little as you do your life, but I do not.”
What I carried inside me. The embers were important. Not me. Never me. I backed off, taking several steps.
Did I expect him to say something else? That I mattered? To him? And that he cared for me, even though he couldn’t love? After what I’d plotted? I didn’t.
I just wanted it to be different.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a sucker for angsty romances and I loved the angst between Sera and Nyktos in the first part of the book. Good old miscommunication will do that, but after a while, it became repetitive, and Sera’s inner monologues about her feelings were always the same. That’s the reason I can't give this book 5 stars. It started so well with action, angsty moments, and intense conversations, and it ended with a bang and a cliffhanger, but in between, it was mostly Sera and Nyktos beating around the bush. Yes, Sera is strong and brave. Yes, she loves Nyktos. Yes, Nyktos cares for her as much as he can. Yes, she wants to be his consort for real. Yes, he wants her to stay with him too. Problem solved. We don’t need 400 pages of confused inner monologues and miscommunication to get there.
“I will gladly suffer anything Kolis dishes out as long as my blood is spilled instead of yours.”
Even though I was a little annoyed near the end by Sera’s unending inner talks about her feelings for Nyktos, I still like her as the main character. She is still strong and determined to do whatever it takes to help the mortal realm, and also the Shadowlands because she came to care for the people she met there. The author did a splendid job with her, and I will be happy to read another book with her as the main character, as long as the long inner monologues are toned down a bit.
I’d finally had a taste of being something other than a means to an end, a weapon to be used and then discarded. I’d had a taste of realness. I’d finally felt like a fully formed person, not a specter soaked in blood. Not a liar and a monster who could kill without all that much remorse.
Sera changed in this book, becoming softer at times, and more assertive at others. She is still self-sacrificing, and it broke my heart to see how she felt like she had to sacrifice herself to help others or she would have no more purpose in life. And every time someone made her feel important because of herself and not because of the embers or because of her purpose, I wanted to hug her. Her despair and vulnerability were more apparent to everyone in this book, making her softer, but still deadly, and the way Nyktos and Nektas were there to support her was amazing. It was heartbreaking to see how she never had a real choice in her life and still didn’t really have one now, even though she didn’t feel like she was only a weapon honed to a single purpose anymore… All she’s ever wanted was to be free to make her own decisions and live her life, and she couldn’t even get that because of the embers she’s holding.
“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.”
A sharp dart of desire sliced through me.“Then drown with me.”
The romance could be described as a slow burn when it comes to admitting their feelings and talking about them, but it was not that slow when it came to sex. As in the From Blood and Ash series, there is quite a lot of smut, but contrary to the last 2 books of the FBAA series where it was just ridiculous at times how they couldn’t refrain from having sex in inappropriate moments, it’s not as bad in this book. Sera and Nyktos are obviously attracted to each other and there is great sexual chemistry between them, but while they are horny for each other, they can remain levelheaded and don’t always think about having sex with each other, and I liked that about their couple. I do love good smut, but there is a time and a place for it.
"What I feel is the closest thing to peace I've ever experienced"
"That one decent and kind bone I have in me belongs to you"
Their romance also has this doomed and tragic quality to it that makes it more gripping and intense, and I have to say that while I love Cas, I feel that Nyktos has more personality and individuality. He has his issues and worries, and it’s not all about Sera, there are also moments about him and his problems, and he has his character arc. I could go on and on about how much I love him, but I have a character limit to respect so I will simply say that he is perfection and strawberries and chocolate and I want one just like that for Christmas please, and thank you.
“This is not up for argument.”
“And if I want to argue anyway?”
He pinned me with a bland look. “If it makes you feel better to do so, then go ahead. I’m sure it will entertain Nektas.”
“It will,” the draken confirmed.”
I. Love. Nektas.
So. Fucking. Much.
I love his steady, quiet, and reassuring presence, his maturity, his hidden sense of humor, and, let’s be honest, his powerful Dilf vibe. 😅
More seriously though, he was such a big help to Sera in this book, even though he was not always there with her. He seemed to always know what to say, or how to act to make her question herself or to reassure her about her worth and importance.
Also, the baby drakens are so freaking adorable. They killed me. I want a baby draken now.
They provided comic relief and heart-melting moments, and seeing Nyktos and Nektas interact with them was just swoon-worthy (I mean, who doesn’t like a sexy man with a caring daddy vibe?). I really hope that there will be more of Reaver-butt and Jadis in the next book because I cannot get enough of them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because of Nektas, Sera, and Nyktos, but I am still a little pissed that I had to read over 600 pages to get to that cliffhanger and I still feel that nothing really happened. This book could have been 400 pages long and still achieve the same thing plot-wise. There were just so many repetitive moments in the middle part and we were running around in circles. Despite that, I am going to read the next book because I need more baby drakens and more daddies Nyktos and Nektas in my life (#dilf 😏).
"I would've loved you if I could have. There would've been no stopping me."😭
1. A Shadow in the Ember ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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November 20, 2022
3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.” A sharp dart of desire sliced through me.
“Then drown with me.”
A Light in the Flame picks up where we left off in A Shadow in the Ember and despite loving the first book and giving it a 5⭐️ rating, I think the series started to lose its magic for me especially after TWOTQ.
Reminder: this review reflects my own reading experience and remember that readers will always have different experiences when it comes to reading a book. Quotes used in this review are out of context.
I had high hopes for ALITF because I immediately fell in love with Sera and Nyktos in ASITE and devoured that book in one sitting.
I think JLA conjured an intriguing fantastical world and that was one of my favorite elements about this series, but there are limits to how much world-building the series would continue to need. It can be overwhelming and hard to digest.
I had different expectations to how Sera and Nyktos's relationship would develop in the sequel but I was hoping the miscommunication between them wouldn't have been as present and that what mainly bothered me. Here it seemed they kept going through the same cycle at times.
The side characters always manage to provide the comic relief needed and it's always such joy to have our baby drakens around. I wish they were around more or played bigger roles in the story.
I did feel for Sera's despair and hopelessness and I loved that Nyktos was there most of the time to support her through this especially when her anxiety attacks strike. Sera's vulnerable side is more transparent not only to the readers but also the characters—and the anguish she feels is so acute because this is someone who lived her entire life as a weapon to be honed for one purpose only, and then realize she's not only a weapon but also a vessel whose death is inevitable. It's devastating for someone whose choice is always taken away and not considered. I think some readers might be bothered by Sera's edge softening a bit but for me I'm glad JLA did not shy away from showing that side of Sera and it doesn't take away from her charm as a heroine. It doesn't make her weak or boring.
This is something I truly miss about Poppy.
I'm glad that Sera and Nyktos maintain their individuality because that's the issue I had with Casteel's characterization being almost non-existent in TWOTQ and dependent on Poppy. Sera and Nyktos's arcs were balanced even though there was more focus on Sera's but that makes sense for the plot.
My heart does hurt for both of them. Their love story is somewhat tragic for two individuals who are not even familiar with the concept of love.
I just know that most readers, like me, ate up the spicy scenes between Sera and Nyktos. They were not only hot but also emotional and the tension just makes it more delicious.
“Fuck,” Nyktos growled, his breath hot against my cheek. “You will be the death of me.”
Also, my other issue with this book is that it seemed the plot was going in circles sometimes and unlike book one, this was more repetitive. And similar to the world-building issue, I'm trying to word this correctly, but there shouldn't be as many new reveals especially as we're heading towards the end of Flesh and Fire and Blood and Ash series because I'm trying to connect the dots and I'm struggling.
But in terms of which series is faring better, I definitely think Flesh and Fire is winning readers over Blood and Ash. I think it would have been better if the two series were seperate and not interconnected.
On another note, I too wish Nektas smiled whenever my name was mentioned.
.
.
.
It's release day! Let's see if this book will win me over after TWOTQ. I'll be reading it on the weekend but to everyone starting today: happy reading!
.
.
Here for my favorite draken dilf: Nektas 🐉
“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.” A sharp dart of desire sliced through me.
“Then drown with me.”
A Light in the Flame picks up where we left off in A Shadow in the Ember and despite loving the first book and giving it a 5⭐️ rating, I think the series started to lose its magic for me especially after TWOTQ.
Reminder: this review reflects my own reading experience and remember that readers will always have different experiences when it comes to reading a book. Quotes used in this review are out of context.
I had high hopes for ALITF because I immediately fell in love with Sera and Nyktos in ASITE and devoured that book in one sitting.
I think JLA conjured an intriguing fantastical world and that was one of my favorite elements about this series, but there are limits to how much world-building the series would continue to need. It can be overwhelming and hard to digest.
I had different expectations to how Sera and Nyktos's relationship would develop in the sequel but I was hoping the miscommunication between them wouldn't have been as present and that what mainly bothered me. Here it seemed they kept going through the same cycle at times.
The side characters always manage to provide the comic relief needed and it's always such joy to have our baby drakens around. I wish they were around more or played bigger roles in the story.
I did feel for Sera's despair and hopelessness and I loved that Nyktos was there most of the time to support her through this especially when her anxiety attacks strike. Sera's vulnerable side is more transparent not only to the readers but also the characters—and the anguish she feels is so acute because this is someone who lived her entire life as a weapon to be honed for one purpose only, and then realize she's not only a weapon but also a vessel whose death is inevitable. It's devastating for someone whose choice is always taken away and not considered. I think some readers might be bothered by Sera's edge softening a bit but for me I'm glad JLA did not shy away from showing that side of Sera and it doesn't take away from her charm as a heroine. It doesn't make her weak or boring.
This is something I truly miss about Poppy.
I'm glad that Sera and Nyktos maintain their individuality because that's the issue I had with Casteel's characterization being almost non-existent in TWOTQ and dependent on Poppy. Sera and Nyktos's arcs were balanced even though there was more focus on Sera's but that makes sense for the plot.
My heart does hurt for both of them. Their love story is somewhat tragic for two individuals who are not even familiar with the concept of love.
I just know that most readers, like me, ate up the spicy scenes between Sera and Nyktos. They were not only hot but also emotional and the tension just makes it more delicious.
“Fuck,” Nyktos growled, his breath hot against my cheek. “You will be the death of me.”
Also, my other issue with this book is that it seemed the plot was going in circles sometimes and unlike book one, this was more repetitive. And similar to the world-building issue, I'm trying to word this correctly, but there shouldn't be as many new reveals especially as we're heading towards the end of Flesh and Fire and Blood and Ash series because I'm trying to connect the dots and I'm struggling.
But in terms of which series is faring better, I definitely think Flesh and Fire is winning readers over Blood and Ash. I think it would have been better if the two series were seperate and not interconnected.
On another note, I too wish Nektas smiled whenever my name was mentioned.
.
.
.
It's release day! Let's see if this book will win me over after TWOTQ. I'll be reading it on the weekend but to everyone starting today: happy reading!
.
.
Here for my favorite draken dilf: Nektas 🐉
November 27, 2022
Conflicting thoughts. Can't really understand do I go in my full rant review mode or praise it?
Keeping it simple -
What I liked
✔️ Characters- This is a character driven book. The way Sera and Nyktos have matured after the events of the last book, is commendable.
✔️ Romance- The chemistry between Sera and Nyktos is off the charts. It's so easy to root for them. Romance is one thing that kept me interested and reading, instead of just skimming through this book. Trust me y'all will love it. Also, I admit that they're the superior couple.
✔️ Writing- Oh wow, how the writing has improved in this one. If I compare it to FBAA, which lets be honest, it was written in a very Wattpad manner. But JLA really is a talented writer. I mean who else can write a 615 page book without a plot and still make people read it?! Sorry
✔️Ending- I liked the cliffhanger.
What I didn't like
❌ Lack of Plot- It's non existent. I've started to think JLA just writes for the sake of "getting the bag" because the book has ended and NOTHING happened. Zero.
❌ Pacing- Being a fast reader, this slowed me down too. There were so many unnecessary details that did not need to be said. It's just so incredibly slow.
❌NOTHING HAPPENS
❌ Too wordy- Reading this felt like reading an unedited draft.
❌NOTHING HAPPENS
❌ Ending- Even though I liked the cliffhanger, the ending as an overall felt underwhelming. It was also a bit predictable.
❌NOTHING HAPPENS
Note to the author- Bestie..JLA, my personal advice to you is nurture the talent you have in a good way. Don't just write books for the sake of writing and take time to build on the plot before actually writing. I know you gotta get the bag, but please don't make fans suffer for it. This book could have been done within 300 pages had you been a little less greedy and smarter.
I apologise in advance for the above note to her fans, cause it may sound harsh but it's unfiltered truth. I'm not going to take my words back.
Keeping it simple -
What I liked
✔️ Characters- This is a character driven book. The way Sera and Nyktos have matured after the events of the last book, is commendable.
✔️ Romance- The chemistry between Sera and Nyktos is off the charts. It's so easy to root for them. Romance is one thing that kept me interested and reading, instead of just skimming through this book. Trust me y'all will love it. Also, I admit that they're the superior couple.
✔️ Writing- Oh wow, how the writing has improved in this one. If I compare it to FBAA, which lets be honest, it was written in a very Wattpad manner. But JLA really is a talented writer. I mean who else can write a 615 page book without a plot and still make people read it?! Sorry
✔️Ending- I liked the cliffhanger.
What I didn't like
❌ Lack of Plot- It's non existent. I've started to think JLA just writes for the sake of "getting the bag" because the book has ended and NOTHING happened. Zero.
❌ Pacing- Being a fast reader, this slowed me down too. There were so many unnecessary details that did not need to be said. It's just so incredibly slow.
❌NOTHING HAPPENS
❌ Too wordy- Reading this felt like reading an unedited draft.
❌NOTHING HAPPENS
❌ Ending- Even though I liked the cliffhanger, the ending as an overall felt underwhelming. It was also a bit predictable.
❌NOTHING HAPPENS
Note to the author- Bestie..JLA, my personal advice to you is nurture the talent you have in a good way. Don't just write books for the sake of writing and take time to build on the plot before actually writing. I know you gotta get the bag, but please don't make fans suffer for it. This book could have been done within 300 pages had you been a little less greedy and smarter.
I apologise in advance for the above note to her fans, cause it may sound harsh but it's unfiltered truth. I'm not going to take my words back.
December 2, 2022
If you see me trying to lure Daddies Nyktos and Nektas into a Joining ceremony no you didn’t.
October 11, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️∞ (2nd reread)
''What I feel is the closest thing to peace I've ever experienced''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OM drama
- Slight OW drama (not what you think)*
- Mention of attempted su*cide
- Mention of r*pe/assault/abuse
- Violence/d*ath
- Torture
- Mention of loss of loved ones
- Cliffhanger
*Explained in the review
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
Update: JLa answered a bunch of questions for the book club (FB JLA book club) and some theories must be wrong with the answers we got 😬 We also now know that book 4 will not the last book in the Flesh and Fire series and despite the fact we will have to deal with another cliffhanger I am super happy these two get more books.
I have over 300 highlights for this book which means this is going to be a long review so buckle up folks:
To be honest I don't even know how to start this review. I truly needed some time to recuperate before I wrote anything about what happens in this book and how I felt while reading it. I was apprehensive going into ASITE after reading TWOTQ (which I was not the biggest fan of), but I was proven wrong time and time again throughout this amazing book.
I also waited over a year for this sequel, and I swear I sometimes hate myself for reading books so fast and not being able to wait longer since I know I KNOW I will have to wait possibly another year or so for the final book.
In my eyes Ash and Sera are superior. Not only to Poppy and Cas but to a lot of fantasy book couples. They have something that just makes them utter perfection and I cannot get enough of their story, their journey, and their eventual love.
If you have read all the FBAA books then you know they get their HEA (kind of, in terms of love) so you know that no matter what happens in these books that they will be in love and have children. Sera will become the primal of life and LOVE somehow saves them. A love that Ash admits he cannot feel, not because of Sera but because he removed his kardia aka the part of himself he would have needed to feel love and the facets of it.
So much happens in this book and yet we are not really close to the figure out why the gods/primals all went to sleep and how Sera ascended.
Theory: Since she is the Primal of life and the embers are really strong as stated a lot in this book, she will possibly be able to grow back Ash's kardia either through their relationship or possibly (likely) through the blood he consumes from her
''That one decent and kind bone I have in me belongs to you''
We get the most beautiful and steamiest smut in this book. It's so obvious how the deal they made ''pleasure for the sake of pleasure'' is definitely not at all about that but something more. I really liked the fact that Ash didn't dwell too much about Sera's betrayal...he truly accepted her reasons why and understood where she was coming from and how desperate she must have been to want to fulfill the plan. He kisses her even though he said it would never happen again, he touches her and cares for her in ways he shouldn't want to, but you cannot help but realise how kind he is despite what he thinks of himself to let something that massive go without truly feeling resentment.
I LOVED Nektas and how absolutely amazing he was with Sera. I saw their friendship and admiration for each other the way I wished Jennifer had kept Kieran and Poppy. The contrast between the two is massive in my eyes.
Something I need to say, and a lot of people might disagree with is how much I love that Sera is not out here wanting to experience and explore sex with others after meeting Ash (TWOTQ I am looking at you). She meets Primals, gods and even sees orgies and Nektas naked but not once did she feel anything. She never felt aroused by any of it and only and truly ever wanted Ash. She views him as if he is the peace and breath she always seeks. Which is how it should be in eyes, especially if their love is depicted as this GRAND and EPIC story. Also, they are either heartmates or soulmates and that in itself should equal to them wanting each other and it being more than enough.
Another thing we find out right before shit hits the fan is that Sera intended to k*ll herself when she took a lot of the sleep aid before she meets Ash in book 1. She never intended to wake up and that reveal spoke volumes to why she was always never in fear of death and the fact Nektas is the only one to know of that confession makes it even more special. I wonder what Ash would have thought or done knowing this information, it would confirm what he has felt and known for so long: She didn't value her life.
HOWEVER, the end of Chapter 28 and Chapter 29 left me in tears. I was screaming (on the inside) and pleading that whatever it was Sera walked in on was NOT at all what she truly believed. Her losing control was heartbreaking and filled me with so much sorrow.
Sera walks in while Veses is on Ash's lap and feeding from his throat. She assumes two things: 1. He lied about everything and has had relations with others and 2. They were having sex. Both are wrong and it takes quite some time for that to be revealed. (Around chapter 39)
Her reaction almost causes the entire building to collapse and forces Ash to protect her since she was entering stasis and that would kill her as she is still a mortal. His reaction after finding her in destruction mode was one of fear and desperation. He was just apologising the entire time because nothing else could be said or done to reverse the damage.
The scene where she tries to get him to explain and frustratingly enough he doesn’t, and you wonder WHY?! You know deep down he would never do anything like that since all you see from him after that scene is how sorry he is and how horrible he feels. How much he cares and how vocal he has become about it. How he told Nektas she was important to him, how he gave his guards and friends an earful about treating her with anything but respect. Honestly everything he did for her should tell us how he feels.
''It means the deal we made? It's over. The only thing between us now are these stupid embers. I want them gone, and then I want to be gone''
Questions:Why Veses was feeding from him and why did he allow it?
Answer: Three years ago, she followed him to the temple where Sera was offered to him for the first time. She witnessed the fact he had a consort and she blackmailed him into doing what she wanted in order for her to not sell the information to Kolis. Ash being absolutely protective of a girl he never knew decided to let her feed from him when she required it.
Question:Why doesn’t he tell Sera?
Answer: Two reasons. He feels utter shame for what she is doing to him (to me this is basically assault) and because he did not want Sera to feel guilty or sorry about his choice to protect her. He was letting himself be abused in order to protect Seras life and he never wanted her to feel like she wasn’t worth it.
He never slept with her, there was never anything sexual happening, no kissing, no feeling, no desire, no need or want. Nothing. She was just using him as her personal blood meal and its downright abuse. She abused him and he let it happen so he could protect Sera long before she ever was anything to him. Tbh this is very close to how Cas was used during his imprisonment and if anyone sees this as cheating or Ash betraying Sera needs to get their head checked.
Ash also admits Veses wants Kolis and since he wants nothing to do with her, Ash is the next best thing and the more he denied her the more she wanted to break him, but Veses doesn't really want him, and he NEVER wanted her.
''I also couldn't tell him that I loved him - that I'd been in love with him before I learned of the deal he'd struck with Veses to keep my safe''
During all this Sera comes to finally realize her feelings towards Ash. She’s in love with him and it scares her, and of course he notices a sweet taste in her emotions one of chocolate and strawberries (which we see Poppy refer to love as this taste as well throughout FBAA) but Ash cannot understand what that emotion is connected to as he has never felt it.
''Rise for the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest moon''
''Rise for the Consort of the Shadowlands''
The coronation finally happened, and Sera is crowned as the consort and honestly the moment she realises Ash is her husband is one we would all feel. AND they get the imprint like Poppy and Cas have and I cannot wait for that little piece of information to be noted in FBAA 5 (since we know Ash and Sera are awake and Sera is there during that teaser Jla posted not too long ago < check her JLanders FB group this).
''Her death will not come at my hands''
Onto more depressing things. It's revealed that Sera cannot have the embers removed from her since the object that allows that to happen is in the hands of Kolis and that is how he removed his brothers and switched places. They do not have the time nor the resources to search for it and so they are told the second and more likely option is the simplest one.
Ash has to drain her to death in order to get the embers back into himself.
Great right?
Nope.
He refuses and this is the part I have been waiting for:
''I would've loved you if I could have. There would've been no stopping me''
All this brings up the sad realisation from Sera that she will die no matter what, the future she had hoped for is gone and her death remains the only constant. I cried along when Ash cried tears of blood, the sign of a Primals absolutely in grief.
He wishes he never had his kardia removed. He wants to love her and hates himself for being her damnation. Honestly, this entire book is one big painfest. I love them so much, I seriously do. It's nice to know that in the present time (FBAA timeline) these two are together and she ascended, are madly in love and had two children. I know it gets all messed up because of reasons we do not know yet but it's always good to know they will get their happy ending.
''I wish I'd never had my kardia removed''
''I never wanted to love. Not until you, liessa''
Then Sera makes him make the ultimate promise in regard to her end:
''When it comes times'' I whispered, ''can you take me to my lake? I want it to be done there.''
Honestly, I see this moment happening in the next book. There is no other way, and she makes him keep his promise. They go off to her lake for her death and this is the moment he realises he loves her and has possibly loved her for a long time. It will be the most angsty and sad scene if it happens like this, but it also would be such a powerful moment.
Things that happened at the end that I needed to take a minute to gather myself:
ECTOR
IS
DEAD
And to think all the theories as to why he was not listed in the Primal list was because he was a traitor and was suspicious. Nope. He was loyal and amazing, and I hate that his end was so brutal. That Sera could not save him, and we have to forever remember that all he wanted was to protect both of them and he died doing it.
Aios died as well but Sera was able to get to her and bring her back and of course she ascended.
Attes - the traitor. He was the one we should have not trusted and sadly he was playing them all along. He has been Kolis's lapdog for ages and so is his brother Kyn. They attacked and killed and left blood trails everywhere because of what? A false king?
I hope he is playing the long con and he isn't a traitor but let's be fair he might just be stuck and if forced to be at Kolis's side.
Sera accepts Attes's deal to go with him in order to stop the killing and battle. She goes to save them all and of course is chained and finds out the greatest twist of all:
Kolis has known about the embers for ages. He knows she has them and he knows how to get them. He has known all along; he knew when he summoned them to get permission for the coronation. He also revealed that Ash's mother loved Kolis and that's why Eythos hated him. WTF? I thought they had a great love and now I don't know what to think. Also, all of this means everything Ash did to protect Sera was for NOTHING.
The last line makes me want to beg JLa to give us the next book tomorrow
''A silver beast. Bathed in the brightest moonlight. Ash''
Daddy Nyktos is NOT happy, and he is going to go to war to get his wife back.
We get a little easter egg about the Balfour family which as FBAA readers know is Poppy's last name.
Also, the way JLA handled, and portrayed anxiety was spot on for me. I really appreciated the way it was written and never looked down upon as a weakness.
My ultimate theory about WHY all the primals have been replaced with the Ash's close group in the future?
Sera creates a plan where she ascends them all in order to replace the ones that are corrupted or need to be killed. So, either they die willingly, and she ascends them, or they die during a battle, and she brings them back.
We know with Aios and Bele that they ascended and it's def a possibility that they thought this was the only way to control the narrative.
My hopes for book 3?
Ash gets his kardia back or already has it back and is unaware
We get a big love confession
We see Sera ascend to a Primal
We see her pregnant and the twins born
We see why/how/when they went to sleep
We know why the gods turned into primals
And so much more!
''What I feel is the closest thing to peace I've ever experienced''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OM drama
- Slight OW drama (not what you think)*
- Mention of attempted su*cide
- Mention of r*pe/assault/abuse
- Violence/d*ath
- Torture
- Mention of loss of loved ones
- Cliffhanger
*Explained in the review
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
Update: JLa answered a bunch of questions for the book club (FB JLA book club) and some theories must be wrong with the answers we got 😬 We also now know that book 4 will not the last book in the Flesh and Fire series and despite the fact we will have to deal with another cliffhanger I am super happy these two get more books.
I have over 300 highlights for this book which means this is going to be a long review so buckle up folks:
To be honest I don't even know how to start this review. I truly needed some time to recuperate before I wrote anything about what happens in this book and how I felt while reading it. I was apprehensive going into ASITE after reading TWOTQ (which I was not the biggest fan of), but I was proven wrong time and time again throughout this amazing book.
I also waited over a year for this sequel, and I swear I sometimes hate myself for reading books so fast and not being able to wait longer since I know I KNOW I will have to wait possibly another year or so for the final book.
In my eyes Ash and Sera are superior. Not only to Poppy and Cas but to a lot of fantasy book couples. They have something that just makes them utter perfection and I cannot get enough of their story, their journey, and their eventual love.
If you have read all the FBAA books then you know they get their HEA (kind of, in terms of love) so you know that no matter what happens in these books that they will be in love and have children. Sera will become the primal of life and LOVE somehow saves them. A love that Ash admits he cannot feel, not because of Sera but because he removed his kardia aka the part of himself he would have needed to feel love and the facets of it.
So much happens in this book and yet we are not really close to the figure out why the gods/primals all went to sleep and how Sera ascended.
Theory: Since she is the Primal of life and the embers are really strong as stated a lot in this book, she will possibly be able to grow back Ash's kardia either through their relationship or possibly (likely) through the blood he consumes from her
''That one decent and kind bone I have in me belongs to you''
We get the most beautiful and steamiest smut in this book. It's so obvious how the deal they made ''pleasure for the sake of pleasure'' is definitely not at all about that but something more. I really liked the fact that Ash didn't dwell too much about Sera's betrayal...he truly accepted her reasons why and understood where she was coming from and how desperate she must have been to want to fulfill the plan. He kisses her even though he said it would never happen again, he touches her and cares for her in ways he shouldn't want to, but you cannot help but realise how kind he is despite what he thinks of himself to let something that massive go without truly feeling resentment.
I LOVED Nektas and how absolutely amazing he was with Sera. I saw their friendship and admiration for each other the way I wished Jennifer had kept Kieran and Poppy. The contrast between the two is massive in my eyes.
Something I need to say, and a lot of people might disagree with is how much I love that Sera is not out here wanting to experience and explore sex with others after meeting Ash (TWOTQ I am looking at you). She meets Primals, gods and even sees orgies and Nektas naked but not once did she feel anything. She never felt aroused by any of it and only and truly ever wanted Ash. She views him as if he is the peace and breath she always seeks. Which is how it should be in eyes, especially if their love is depicted as this GRAND and EPIC story. Also, they are either heartmates or soulmates and that in itself should equal to them wanting each other and it being more than enough.
Another thing we find out right before shit hits the fan is that Sera intended to k*ll herself when she took a lot of the sleep aid before she meets Ash in book 1. She never intended to wake up and that reveal spoke volumes to why she was always never in fear of death and the fact Nektas is the only one to know of that confession makes it even more special. I wonder what Ash would have thought or done knowing this information, it would confirm what he has felt and known for so long: She didn't value her life.
HOWEVER, the end of Chapter 28 and Chapter 29 left me in tears. I was screaming (on the inside) and pleading that whatever it was Sera walked in on was NOT at all what she truly believed. Her losing control was heartbreaking and filled me with so much sorrow.
Sera walks in while Veses is on Ash's lap and feeding from his throat. She assumes two things: 1. He lied about everything and has had relations with others and 2. They were having sex. Both are wrong and it takes quite some time for that to be revealed. (Around chapter 39)
Her reaction almost causes the entire building to collapse and forces Ash to protect her since she was entering stasis and that would kill her as she is still a mortal. His reaction after finding her in destruction mode was one of fear and desperation. He was just apologising the entire time because nothing else could be said or done to reverse the damage.
The scene where she tries to get him to explain and frustratingly enough he doesn’t, and you wonder WHY?! You know deep down he would never do anything like that since all you see from him after that scene is how sorry he is and how horrible he feels. How much he cares and how vocal he has become about it. How he told Nektas she was important to him, how he gave his guards and friends an earful about treating her with anything but respect. Honestly everything he did for her should tell us how he feels.
''It means the deal we made? It's over. The only thing between us now are these stupid embers. I want them gone, and then I want to be gone''
Questions:Why Veses was feeding from him and why did he allow it?
Answer: Three years ago, she followed him to the temple where Sera was offered to him for the first time. She witnessed the fact he had a consort and she blackmailed him into doing what she wanted in order for her to not sell the information to Kolis. Ash being absolutely protective of a girl he never knew decided to let her feed from him when she required it.
Question:Why doesn’t he tell Sera?
Answer: Two reasons. He feels utter shame for what she is doing to him (to me this is basically assault) and because he did not want Sera to feel guilty or sorry about his choice to protect her. He was letting himself be abused in order to protect Seras life and he never wanted her to feel like she wasn’t worth it.
He never slept with her, there was never anything sexual happening, no kissing, no feeling, no desire, no need or want. Nothing. She was just using him as her personal blood meal and its downright abuse. She abused him and he let it happen so he could protect Sera long before she ever was anything to him. Tbh this is very close to how Cas was used during his imprisonment and if anyone sees this as cheating or Ash betraying Sera needs to get their head checked.
Ash also admits Veses wants Kolis and since he wants nothing to do with her, Ash is the next best thing and the more he denied her the more she wanted to break him, but Veses doesn't really want him, and he NEVER wanted her.
''I also couldn't tell him that I loved him - that I'd been in love with him before I learned of the deal he'd struck with Veses to keep my safe''
During all this Sera comes to finally realize her feelings towards Ash. She’s in love with him and it scares her, and of course he notices a sweet taste in her emotions one of chocolate and strawberries (which we see Poppy refer to love as this taste as well throughout FBAA) but Ash cannot understand what that emotion is connected to as he has never felt it.
''Rise for the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest moon''
''Rise for the Consort of the Shadowlands''
The coronation finally happened, and Sera is crowned as the consort and honestly the moment she realises Ash is her husband is one we would all feel. AND they get the imprint like Poppy and Cas have and I cannot wait for that little piece of information to be noted in FBAA 5 (since we know Ash and Sera are awake and Sera is there during that teaser Jla posted not too long ago < check her JLanders FB group this).
''Her death will not come at my hands''
Onto more depressing things. It's revealed that Sera cannot have the embers removed from her since the object that allows that to happen is in the hands of Kolis and that is how he removed his brothers and switched places. They do not have the time nor the resources to search for it and so they are told the second and more likely option is the simplest one.
Ash has to drain her to death in order to get the embers back into himself.
Great right?
Nope.
He refuses and this is the part I have been waiting for:
''I would've loved you if I could have. There would've been no stopping me''
All this brings up the sad realisation from Sera that she will die no matter what, the future she had hoped for is gone and her death remains the only constant. I cried along when Ash cried tears of blood, the sign of a Primals absolutely in grief.
He wishes he never had his kardia removed. He wants to love her and hates himself for being her damnation. Honestly, this entire book is one big painfest. I love them so much, I seriously do. It's nice to know that in the present time (FBAA timeline) these two are together and she ascended, are madly in love and had two children. I know it gets all messed up because of reasons we do not know yet but it's always good to know they will get their happy ending.
''I wish I'd never had my kardia removed''
''I never wanted to love. Not until you, liessa''
Then Sera makes him make the ultimate promise in regard to her end:
''When it comes times'' I whispered, ''can you take me to my lake? I want it to be done there.''
Honestly, I see this moment happening in the next book. There is no other way, and she makes him keep his promise. They go off to her lake for her death and this is the moment he realises he loves her and has possibly loved her for a long time. It will be the most angsty and sad scene if it happens like this, but it also would be such a powerful moment.
Things that happened at the end that I needed to take a minute to gather myself:
ECTOR
IS
DEAD
And to think all the theories as to why he was not listed in the Primal list was because he was a traitor and was suspicious. Nope. He was loyal and amazing, and I hate that his end was so brutal. That Sera could not save him, and we have to forever remember that all he wanted was to protect both of them and he died doing it.
Aios died as well but Sera was able to get to her and bring her back and of course she ascended.
Attes - the traitor. He was the one we should have not trusted and sadly he was playing them all along. He has been Kolis's lapdog for ages and so is his brother Kyn. They attacked and killed and left blood trails everywhere because of what? A false king?
I hope he is playing the long con and he isn't a traitor but let's be fair he might just be stuck and if forced to be at Kolis's side.
Sera accepts Attes's deal to go with him in order to stop the killing and battle. She goes to save them all and of course is chained and finds out the greatest twist of all:
Kolis has known about the embers for ages. He knows she has them and he knows how to get them. He has known all along; he knew when he summoned them to get permission for the coronation. He also revealed that Ash's mother loved Kolis and that's why Eythos hated him. WTF? I thought they had a great love and now I don't know what to think. Also, all of this means everything Ash did to protect Sera was for NOTHING.
The last line makes me want to beg JLa to give us the next book tomorrow
''A silver beast. Bathed in the brightest moonlight. Ash''
Daddy Nyktos is NOT happy, and he is going to go to war to get his wife back.
We get a little easter egg about the Balfour family which as FBAA readers know is Poppy's last name.
Also, the way JLA handled, and portrayed anxiety was spot on for me. I really appreciated the way it was written and never looked down upon as a weakness.
My ultimate theory about WHY all the primals have been replaced with the Ash's close group in the future?
Sera creates a plan where she ascends them all in order to replace the ones that are corrupted or need to be killed. So, either they die willingly, and she ascends them, or they die during a battle, and she brings them back.
We know with Aios and Bele that they ascended and it's def a possibility that they thought this was the only way to control the narrative.
My hopes for book 3?
Ash gets his kardia back or already has it back and is unaware
We get a big love confession
We see Sera ascend to a Primal
We see her pregnant and the twins born
We see why/how/when they went to sleep
We know why the gods turned into primals
And so much more!
December 4, 2024
4.5⭐️ Nyktos and Sera now own a piece my heart. I cannot get over how INCREDIBLE this book was!!! However I fear that ending deserves jail time because WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!! I’m unwell.
After the masterpiece that was A Shadow In The Ember, I’m not gonna lie, I was scared that I was going to be disappointed by this book, and my god that wasn’t at all the case here. From the angst and tension filled romance, the SPICE, the complexity of the plot, the painful ending, the found family, the character development!!!! I could go on and on! Also the connections the blood and ash have me REELING!!! I will stand by reading blood and ash and flesh and fire in publication order until the day I die!
Nyktos somehow keeps getting better and better??? For a man that claims to be incapable love, his sheer devotion to, and complete utter awe of Sera has my heart MELTING! The epitome of “I will burn down the world for her and nothing will stop me”. I don’t even have words for this man. And his shadows?!!!! Stop. Stop it right now.
“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.”
“Speak to her one more time? Look at her? And I will shatter every bone in your cowardly body and then drag you into the Abyss to bury you so deep in the pits that it will take you a hundred years to claw your way out. Do you understand me?”
Hehehehhe
Sera’s growth in this book made me so happy, she’s such a strong FMC yet also soft if that makes sense?? I absolutely adore how JLA represents her anxiety and doesn’t glaze over her past traumas. And how attentive Nyktos is to her when she’s having her anxiety attacks 😭😭😭😭😭 stop. I cant.
Also I’m still traumatized by the scene with Veses in the office. That BITCH.
Love love loved this!!
After the masterpiece that was A Shadow In The Ember, I’m not gonna lie, I was scared that I was going to be disappointed by this book, and my god that wasn’t at all the case here. From the angst and tension filled romance, the SPICE, the complexity of the plot, the painful ending, the found family, the character development!!!! I could go on and on! Also the connections the blood and ash have me REELING!!! I will stand by reading blood and ash and flesh and fire in publication order until the day I die!
Nyktos somehow keeps getting better and better??? For a man that claims to be incapable love, his sheer devotion to, and complete utter awe of Sera has my heart MELTING! The epitome of “I will burn down the world for her and nothing will stop me”. I don’t even have words for this man. And his shadows?!!!! Stop. Stop it right now.
“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.”
“Speak to her one more time? Look at her? And I will shatter every bone in your cowardly body and then drag you into the Abyss to bury you so deep in the pits that it will take you a hundred years to claw your way out. Do you understand me?”
Hehehehhe
Sera’s growth in this book made me so happy, she’s such a strong FMC yet also soft if that makes sense?? I absolutely adore how JLA represents her anxiety and doesn’t glaze over her past traumas. And how attentive Nyktos is to her when she’s having her anxiety attacks 😭😭😭😭😭 stop. I cant.
Also I’m still traumatized by the scene with Veses in the office. That BITCH.
Love love loved this!!
November 6, 2023
“Why did you visit my lake if you had this?”
“Because it was your lake.”
Spice Meter: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I'm still freaking out over how freaking awesome this book is. I love this series more and more with each book. I'm starting to think that I might love this just a tad more than the original. Don't fret, I love Poppy and Casteel and their story as much as I've always had, but there's something about Sera and Nyktos that has me in a chokehold.
That applies to the plot as well. The plot is just as good, if not better than the first one. Right where I thought I knew what was happening something else would pop up and blow my mind away. I lost count of how many times I screamed in disbelief into the ether. Not to mention, that ending left me reeling. It is so intense my eyes might as well have popped out of their sockets. Authors need to stop being so cruel. They need to think of our mental stability every once in a while. Also, several subtle hints at Poppy and Casteel's storyline have me all excited for their book as well.
Moreover, Sera and Nyktos will be the death of me. Their character arcs, just like their relationship hit new heights. There's a lot of angst and betrayal between them after Nyktos finds out Sera was sent to kill him, but it doesn't stop their bond from strengthening the more time they spend together. It definitely doesn't stop them from pining for each other and it only makes the sexual tension more intense than before. In short, they were angry and horny and I lived for every single moment. Angstly sexual tension is my cup of tea. All I wanted was to lock them in a room together until they gave in and banged each other's brains out. Not that I actually had to do it, if you know what I mean.
Also, I still love all the secondary characters. In fact, I love them even more than I already did. However, there are only two that still live in my head rent-free. Nektas and Reaver deserve the world and are the most adorable. Nektas is hilarious and amazing, and he is the only one who sees right through Sera's betrayal. Also, I would gladly and shamelessly let him split my back in half any day.
As for adorable baby Reaver, his presence is a blessing from heaven. I love him with all my heart. He's the cutest, sweetest little Draken boy and clearly cares about Sera like she's family. They are so wholesome and pure. I definitely need more of them in the next book.
Bonus Scene - Nyktos's POV
This bonus content from chapters 38 and 39 is the hottest scene in A Shadow in the Ember told from Nyktos's point of view. My favorite thing to read is a smoking hot sex scene from the male love interest's point of view. It's the best gift an author can give to their readers. Especially this scene which was mind-blowing enough from Sera's point of view. It came out of nowhere, took my breath away, and left me wanting. So, reading the bonus scene almost gave me a heart attack. It is fantastic! I'm still dizzy and a little overheated. He even called her Little Helion. How could I survive that unscathed?
“Because it was your lake.”
Spice Meter: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I'm still freaking out over how freaking awesome this book is. I love this series more and more with each book. I'm starting to think that I might love this just a tad more than the original. Don't fret, I love Poppy and Casteel and their story as much as I've always had, but there's something about Sera and Nyktos that has me in a chokehold.
That applies to the plot as well. The plot is just as good, if not better than the first one. Right where I thought I knew what was happening something else would pop up and blow my mind away. I lost count of how many times I screamed in disbelief into the ether. Not to mention, that ending left me reeling. It is so intense my eyes might as well have popped out of their sockets. Authors need to stop being so cruel. They need to think of our mental stability every once in a while. Also, several subtle hints at Poppy and Casteel's storyline have me all excited for their book as well.
Moreover, Sera and Nyktos will be the death of me. Their character arcs, just like their relationship hit new heights. There's a lot of angst and betrayal between them after Nyktos finds out Sera was sent to kill him, but it doesn't stop their bond from strengthening the more time they spend together. It definitely doesn't stop them from pining for each other and it only makes the sexual tension more intense than before. In short, they were angry and horny and I lived for every single moment. Angstly sexual tension is my cup of tea. All I wanted was to lock them in a room together until they gave in and banged each other's brains out. Not that I actually had to do it, if you know what I mean.
Also, I still love all the secondary characters. In fact, I love them even more than I already did. However, there are only two that still live in my head rent-free. Nektas and Reaver deserve the world and are the most adorable. Nektas is hilarious and amazing, and he is the only one who sees right through Sera's betrayal. Also, I would gladly and shamelessly let him split my back in half any day.
As for adorable baby Reaver, his presence is a blessing from heaven. I love him with all my heart. He's the cutest, sweetest little Draken boy and clearly cares about Sera like she's family. They are so wholesome and pure. I definitely need more of them in the next book.
Bonus Scene - Nyktos's POV
This bonus content from chapters 38 and 39 is the hottest scene in A Shadow in the Ember told from Nyktos's point of view. My favorite thing to read is a smoking hot sex scene from the male love interest's point of view. It's the best gift an author can give to their readers. Especially this scene which was mind-blowing enough from Sera's point of view. It came out of nowhere, took my breath away, and left me wanting. So, reading the bonus scene almost gave me a heart attack. It is fantastic! I'm still dizzy and a little overheated. He even called her Little Helion. How could I survive that unscathed?
November 23, 2023
4.5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️
“Daddy Nyktos is not happy,” Ector murmured.”
A devastatingly beautiful story, The EMOTION I felt? I seriously felt every single emotion from Sera throughout this book. I felt devastation, utter heartbreak. GOD damn it. Someone just love this women. Truly just love this women for her. You laugh, you cry, and you want to stab someone. Sera and Nyktos are the best kind of mess. My heart hurt continuously for her and for Nyktos. The chemistry between Sera and Nyktos is off the charts. The spice is perfection. Perfection. PERFECTION.
I AM NOT OKAY. THAT ENDING WAS NOT OKAY. I NEED BOOK THREE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Reading Order:
1) From Blood and Ash
2) A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
3) The Crown of Gilded Bones
4) A Shadow in the Ember
5) The War of Two Queens
6) A Light in the Flame
Quotes:
“I never wanted to love. Not until you, liessa.”
“I would have loved you if I could have. There would’ve been no stopping me.”
“Heartmates usually only occur between two people whose unions are linked to some great purpose.”
“Daddy Nyktos is not happy,” Ector murmured.”
“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.” A sharp dart of desire sliced through me. “Then drown with me.”
“The poppies,” I whispered. “The poisonous, temperamental poppies that remind you of me.” “The powerful, beautiful poppies that also remind me of hope.”
3/5 🌶️
“Daddy Nyktos is not happy,” Ector murmured.”
A devastatingly beautiful story, The EMOTION I felt? I seriously felt every single emotion from Sera throughout this book. I felt devastation, utter heartbreak. GOD damn it. Someone just love this women. Truly just love this women for her. You laugh, you cry, and you want to stab someone. Sera and Nyktos are the best kind of mess. My heart hurt continuously for her and for Nyktos. The chemistry between Sera and Nyktos is off the charts. The spice is perfection. Perfection. PERFECTION.
I AM NOT OKAY. THAT ENDING WAS NOT OKAY. I NEED BOOK THREE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Reading Order:
1) From Blood and Ash
2) A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
3) The Crown of Gilded Bones
4) A Shadow in the Ember
5) The War of Two Queens
6) A Light in the Flame
Quotes:
“I never wanted to love. Not until you, liessa.”
“I would have loved you if I could have. There would’ve been no stopping me.”
“Heartmates usually only occur between two people whose unions are linked to some great purpose.”
“Daddy Nyktos is not happy,” Ector murmured.”
“I can sense your need. Feel it. Taste it. You’re drowning in it.” His eyes slammed shut. “I’m fucking drowning in it.” A sharp dart of desire sliced through me. “Then drown with me.”
“The poppies,” I whispered. “The poisonous, temperamental poppies that remind you of me.” “The powerful, beautiful poppies that also remind me of hope.”
Want to read
November 15, 2021oh nah baby i am so excited for this. i love nyktos and sera very much.
July 17, 2024
Nyktos is the shadow daddy Rhys tried to be but failed. I said what I said 🔐
January 2, 2023
5 stars 🌙
i’m loving all the people saying they won’t read JLA books again after TWOTQ because it means i can continue to gatekeep this masterpiece of a series 🫂
my one qualm with fantasy-romance novels is the lack of romance and the amount of info dumping. this series tho…THE ROMANCE IS SHINING 🤩
nyk and sera are the cutest things i’ve ever seen—
i just adore their dynamic. the whole lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, PERFECTION😩
nyk is so caring and protective over sera. i just love the way he expresses his jealousy and anger when someone hurts her. i get butterflies when his shadows appear 🥹😩😍🥵
plus, the smut was so much hotter in this book. i love how our inexperienced lil primal started getting confident—
please the scene where he made her cum with his shadows while he hid in her room 🫦
💫 SPOILERS 💫
i can’t even begin to express how upset i was when it was revealed that nyk removed his kardia (the part of his soul that allows him to love). this means he can’t love sera like she loves him 😭 i understand why he removed it but god it hurt so bad to realize he couldn’t return sera’s feelings
please, when sera realized she was in love with nyk, i was in tears 😭 and oh my god when he sensed her love but didn’t know what it meant—
the way he can’t love sera but WISHES he could…
pure. torture.
also that ending?! I don’t know what to think anymore 😭 the fact that kolis knew the whole time that sera had the embers of life and all their planning was for nothing. i really don’t know how sera is going to escape kolis
maybe kolis will choose to let her go because he realizes it would be like killing sotoria (the love of his life that jumped off a cliff because she was scared oh him)???
after that last chapter, i’m a kolis sympathizer
y’all…i honestly think i can change him 😌
that man is foine 🤌🏻
also, I WAS SO PISSED THAT ALLES BETRAYED THEM!!! i was starting to vibe with his flirtatious and he goes and kidnaps sera and turns her over to kolis 🧍🏻♀️
all i know is i don’t know how im gonna wait a whole year for book 3 😭
flesh and fire
↠ #1 a shadow in the ember — 5 stars
↠ #2 a light in the flame — 5 stars
i’m loving all the people saying they won’t read JLA books again after TWOTQ because it means i can continue to gatekeep this masterpiece of a series 🫂
my one qualm with fantasy-romance novels is the lack of romance and the amount of info dumping. this series tho…THE ROMANCE IS SHINING 🤩
nyk and sera are the cutest things i’ve ever seen—
“Either way, I will not play the I-don’t-want-you-but-no-one-else-can-have-you game. With you or anyone.”
“There is no one else, Sera.”
i just adore their dynamic. the whole lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, PERFECTION😩
nyk is so caring and protective over sera. i just love the way he expresses his jealousy and anger when someone hurts her. i get butterflies when his shadows appear 🥹😩😍🥵
plus, the smut was so much hotter in this book. i love how our inexperienced lil primal started getting confident—
“In case you don’t know what that means, go fuck yourself.”
Nyktos chuckled. “If you behave, maybe I’ll fuck you instead.”
please the scene where he made her cum with his shadows while he hid in her room 🫦
💫 SPOILERS 💫
i can’t even begin to express how upset i was when it was revealed that nyk removed his kardia (the part of his soul that allows him to love). this means he can’t love sera like she loves him 😭 i understand why he removed it but god it hurt so bad to realize he couldn’t return sera’s feelings
please, when sera realized she was in love with nyk, i was in tears 😭 and oh my god when he sensed her love but didn’t know what it meant—
“I…I taste sweetness.” His brows pinched. “It reminds me of chocolate and strawberries.”
“And you don’t know what that is?”
“I don’t,” Ash said, frowning.
Gods.
My heart cracked a little as I quickly looked away. He didn’t know what he tasted because he didn’t know what love tasted like. Or felt like.
the way he can’t love sera but WISHES he could…
pure. torture.
also that ending?! I don’t know what to think anymore 😭 the fact that kolis knew the whole time that sera had the embers of life and all their planning was for nothing. i really don’t know how sera is going to escape kolis
maybe kolis will choose to let her go because he realizes it would be like killing sotoria (the love of his life that jumped off a cliff because she was scared oh him)???
after that last chapter, i’m a kolis sympathizer
y’all…i honestly think i can change him 😌
that man is foine 🤌🏻
also, I WAS SO PISSED THAT ALLES BETRAYED THEM!!! i was starting to vibe with his flirtatious and he goes and kidnaps sera and turns her over to kolis 🧍🏻♀️
all i know is i don’t know how im gonna wait a whole year for book 3 😭
flesh and fire
↠ #1 a shadow in the ember — 5 stars
↠ #2 a light in the flame — 5 stars
November 16, 2022
A Light in the Flame
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The way I can't even write a coherent review right now because I've been blown away. I'm literally shocked. I think waiting for the next book will be the death of me. Please I'm going to be in constant distress until I get the third book in my hands. The way my heart dropped and I almost started crying when I scrolled to read the next chapter and read 'Author's Note'. Fuck my life😀.
Before release:
THE ANTICIPATION IS SLOWLY KILLING ME INSIDE AND I AM GOING INSANE. WHEN THIS BOOK FINALLY COMES OUT I WILL GO FERAL, YOU WILL NOT SEE ME DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT READ THIS BOOK.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The way I can't even write a coherent review right now because I've been blown away. I'm literally shocked. I think waiting for the next book will be the death of me. Please I'm going to be in constant distress until I get the third book in my hands. The way my heart dropped and I almost started crying when I scrolled to read the next chapter and read 'Author's Note'. Fuck my life😀.
Before release:
THE ANTICIPATION IS SLOWLY KILLING ME INSIDE AND I AM GOING INSANE. WHEN THIS BOOK FINALLY COMES OUT I WILL GO FERAL, YOU WILL NOT SEE ME DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT READ THIS BOOK.
November 20, 2022
3.5 ✨
“𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙. 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙩. 𝙏𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙩.” 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘵. “𝙄’𝙢 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙩.” 𝘈 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘦.
“𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚.”
Welllllll I finally finished this. This book was so incredibly angsty. The journey Sera and Nyktos have to go on is a slow burn and full of so much tension I slammed the book closed more than once.
ALITF takes place right after the heartbreaking events of book 1. In terms of plot, there isn’t much of any really. This felt completely character driven to me. Sera is battling her own demons, grief, and self-loathing. She is also attempting to make amends for her actions of book 1. There are so many reveals and questions answered in this one which I really appreciated because I feel like JLA has just dragged us along for several books.
While I didn’t feel like there was a lot of plot, and can say whole heartedly that Sera and Nyktos are the superior couple. I am obsessed with their banter and tension. Sera is so fcking strong and Nyktos is everything.
But I still think it was boring for like 75% of the book. It’s the same conversation over and over and over again. NOTHING HAPPENS.
“𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙. 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙩. 𝙏𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙩.” 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘵. “𝙄’𝙢 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙩.” 𝘈 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘦.
“𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚.”
Welllllll I finally finished this. This book was so incredibly angsty. The journey Sera and Nyktos have to go on is a slow burn and full of so much tension I slammed the book closed more than once.
ALITF takes place right after the heartbreaking events of book 1. In terms of plot, there isn’t much of any really. This felt completely character driven to me. Sera is battling her own demons, grief, and self-loathing. She is also attempting to make amends for her actions of book 1. There are so many reveals and questions answered in this one which I really appreciated because I feel like JLA has just dragged us along for several books.
While I didn’t feel like there was a lot of plot, and can say whole heartedly that Sera and Nyktos are the superior couple. I am obsessed with their banter and tension. Sera is so fcking strong and Nyktos is everything.
But I still think it was boring for like 75% of the book. It’s the same conversation over and over and over again. NOTHING HAPPENS.
December 12, 2022
⚜𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐈⚜ “Rise.” Ash’s voice was deeper, louder. A powerful thunder. “Rise for the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest Moon.” He said, and my eyes cut to him as my breath caught.
My title. I had forgotten about that amidst everything.
What he said sounded almost part prophecy. Magical. And completely beautiful. Flecks of essence swirled through his eyes as he lifted his chin. “Rise for the Consort of the Shadowlands.”
Are you fu#king kidding me with this ending right now?! 𝐖𝐓𝐅 𝐉𝐋𝐀?! 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐔#𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋?!! ���𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥. 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞. 𝐔𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. Okay so, I'm still feeling a little off kilter since my hiatus ended, so I'll try my best to express my love for this book properly. But I know this won't be one of signature review full of long detailed paragraphs of everything that i adored in this book. It will be more of a generalization of how I feel and less of a descriptive review of this amazing story.
This book absolutely wrecked me in the most fulfilling way possible. I mean God, it had everything i wanted more of and yet I'm still finding myself wanting more. Like so much more i might overdose on it. This series is becoming a dangerous obsession- nope scratch that. It has become a living, breathing entity consuming every in it's path. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐨.
“I want a future. I want to live. I want to experience a life where I have control of my future. I want us,” I whispered. “But I need a future where we defeat Kolis and the Rot goes away. Where those in Iliseeum and in the mortal realm are safe. That’s what’s important. The only thing that matters.”
“No, it is not the only damn thing that matters, Sera.” His eyes flashed. “You. Not the godsdamn embers. Not the fucking realms. You matter.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
These characters names are like a chorus in my mind that won't stop. 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐚. 𝐀𝐬𝐡. 𝐍𝐞𝐤𝐭𝐚𝐬. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬. 𝐄𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫. 𝐑𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐞. 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐀𝐢𝐨𝐬. (𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐡. 𝐑𝐡𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐧.) Over and over. Like this wasn't enough to drive me through a wall, add the knowledge that I have to wait until Autumn 2023 to get the next part of this story. I'm done for. That thought alone is simply unbearable.
And while I'm writing this review I'm feeling quite conflicted about everything. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫. The only thing I know for sure is that I'm heartbroken.
“Then you should lift your sword.”
The only thing that lifted was one corner of his lip. “And if I don’t?”
“You will find yourself in grave need of a feeding.”
His eyes became a fire of Primal essence. “You do realize that most men would take their soon-to-be Consort holding a sword to their throat in front of their guards as a great offense.”
“Which is one of the reasons I find most men to be easily offended. But you’re not like most men, are you?”
“I suppose not since most would send their wives to their chambers for such an act.”
“Soon-to-be wife,” I corrected softly. “And if you order me to return to my chambers, my grip on this sword may slip an inch.”
“Accidentally, of course.”
Aware that we’d gained quite an audience, I smiled tightly. “Intentionally.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
The world building, the characters, the lore, the plot, the pace, the banter, the smut, the angst, Dear Lord The Spice. 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐢 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐲, 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬. Honestly everything was just perfection to me. A beautiful, magnificent, wonderful piece of art.
We had a lot of new revelations and twists, more adventure and characters from other courts. 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐡. Some new allies and of course new enemies. The story was as Compelling as the first if not more. There were even more 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐬, 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Now even tho i hate you for putting me through this hellish waiting cycle again, you 𝐉𝐋𝐀 fu#king earned every praise you received and will continue to receive in the future. So a big ass thank you for this gift of a series.
“Rage, pure and primal, set fire to my blood as my chin dipped, and a voice among my thoughts whispered: mine, becoming a chorus of many screaming, “𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞!”
His stolen power. It was mine. His pain. It would be mine. Vengeance. Retribution. Blood. Mine. All of it would be mine.
And I knew what that voice was as my grip on the blade steadied. Who it was. It was not the source of the embers. It was a spirit. Ghosts of many lives. A soul. I met Kolis’s stare, and while it was my lips that curved, it was Sotoria who smiled as I paid the price.”
]|I{•---------⋘⋙---------------•⪼⦕࿅⦖⪻•---------------⋘⋙---------•}I|[
I have to say when I found out 𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐄 was getting released first, i hated the additional wait with the passion of a thousand suns. All the while i was screaming and crying to have 𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐓𝐐 like right the Fu#k then. But when i finished it, Oh Fu#king Hell, i was practically begging to all the deities i do not believe in, for more of 𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐚, 𝐃𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐍𝐲𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐤𝐭𝐚𝐬, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭. Talk about whiplash.
And now here i am again, torn between wanting 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐅 to get released first but also wanting 𝐅𝐁𝐀𝐀 #𝟓 before this one. The truth is, i will only be happy with both of them in my hands. I'm to greedy to be satisfied with anything else. Until then...
My title. I had forgotten about that amidst everything.
What he said sounded almost part prophecy. Magical. And completely beautiful. Flecks of essence swirled through his eyes as he lifted his chin. “Rise for the Consort of the Shadowlands.”
Are you fu#king kidding me with this ending right now?! 𝐖𝐓𝐅 𝐉𝐋𝐀?! 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐔#𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋?!! ���𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥. 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞. 𝐔𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. Okay so, I'm still feeling a little off kilter since my hiatus ended, so I'll try my best to express my love for this book properly. But I know this won't be one of signature review full of long detailed paragraphs of everything that i adored in this book. It will be more of a generalization of how I feel and less of a descriptive review of this amazing story.
This book absolutely wrecked me in the most fulfilling way possible. I mean God, it had everything i wanted more of and yet I'm still finding myself wanting more. Like so much more i might overdose on it. This series is becoming a dangerous obsession- nope scratch that. It has become a living, breathing entity consuming every in it's path. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐨.
“I want a future. I want to live. I want to experience a life where I have control of my future. I want us,” I whispered. “But I need a future where we defeat Kolis and the Rot goes away. Where those in Iliseeum and in the mortal realm are safe. That’s what’s important. The only thing that matters.”
“No, it is not the only damn thing that matters, Sera.” His eyes flashed. “You. Not the godsdamn embers. Not the fucking realms. You matter.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
These characters names are like a chorus in my mind that won't stop. 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐚. 𝐀𝐬𝐡. 𝐍𝐞𝐤𝐭𝐚𝐬. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬. 𝐄𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫. 𝐑𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐞. 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐀𝐢𝐨𝐬. (𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐡. 𝐑𝐡𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐧.) Over and over. Like this wasn't enough to drive me through a wall, add the knowledge that I have to wait until Autumn 2023 to get the next part of this story. I'm done for. That thought alone is simply unbearable.
And while I'm writing this review I'm feeling quite conflicted about everything. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫. The only thing I know for sure is that I'm heartbroken.
“Then you should lift your sword.”
The only thing that lifted was one corner of his lip. “And if I don’t?”
“You will find yourself in grave need of a feeding.”
His eyes became a fire of Primal essence. “You do realize that most men would take their soon-to-be Consort holding a sword to their throat in front of their guards as a great offense.”
“Which is one of the reasons I find most men to be easily offended. But you’re not like most men, are you?”
“I suppose not since most would send their wives to their chambers for such an act.”
“Soon-to-be wife,” I corrected softly. “And if you order me to return to my chambers, my grip on this sword may slip an inch.”
“Accidentally, of course.”
Aware that we’d gained quite an audience, I smiled tightly. “Intentionally.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
The world building, the characters, the lore, the plot, the pace, the banter, the smut, the angst, Dear Lord The Spice. 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐢 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐲, 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬. Honestly everything was just perfection to me. A beautiful, magnificent, wonderful piece of art.
We had a lot of new revelations and twists, more adventure and characters from other courts. 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐡. Some new allies and of course new enemies. The story was as Compelling as the first if not more. There were even more 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐬, 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Now even tho i hate you for putting me through this hellish waiting cycle again, you 𝐉𝐋𝐀 fu#king earned every praise you received and will continue to receive in the future. So a big ass thank you for this gift of a series.
“Rage, pure and primal, set fire to my blood as my chin dipped, and a voice among my thoughts whispered: mine, becoming a chorus of many screaming, “𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞!”
His stolen power. It was mine. His pain. It would be mine. Vengeance. Retribution. Blood. Mine. All of it would be mine.
And I knew what that voice was as my grip on the blade steadied. Who it was. It was not the source of the embers. It was a spirit. Ghosts of many lives. A soul. I met Kolis’s stare, and while it was my lips that curved, it was Sotoria who smiled as I paid the price.”
]|I{•---------⋘⋙---------------•⪼⦕࿅⦖⪻•---------------⋘⋙---------•}I|[
I have to say when I found out 𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐄 was getting released first, i hated the additional wait with the passion of a thousand suns. All the while i was screaming and crying to have 𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐓𝐐 like right the Fu#k then. But when i finished it, Oh Fu#king Hell, i was practically begging to all the deities i do not believe in, for more of 𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥, 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐚, 𝐃𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐍𝐲𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞, 𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐤𝐭𝐚𝐬, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭. Talk about whiplash.
And now here i am again, torn between wanting 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐅 to get released first but also wanting 𝐅𝐁𝐀𝐀 #𝟓 before this one. The truth is, i will only be happy with both of them in my hands. I'm to greedy to be satisfied with anything else. Until then...
August 14, 2024
nyktos is now my book crush 😌 (and I totally didn’t search up for images and his wiki how page)
⊱ ───── {.⋅ ۵♡۵ ⋅.} ──── ⊰
“He felt…gods, my head fell back. He felt like we were made for each other.”
😍😍 not me swooning
⊱ ───── {.⋅ ۵♡۵ ⋅.} ──── ⊰
character growth : sera showed massive character growth in this book and I am so ecstatic for her. and not to mention that she really resembles my bestie - sera (hi sera, if you see this somehow, even without a gr acc, I am talking about you 💓)
chemistry : okay I mainly picked up another JLA book after a year of hiatus because I wanted to read about the characters. The leads always have sizzling hot chemistry, and being able to see that in this book with Nyktos and Sera is something I will die for.
4 stars 🌟
ps: i might do a reread on sat for book 1…. their first encounter was fireworks 🎇
sooo... I admit I am gatekeeping this book as my favorite book boyfriend is the mmc 😚
“Why did you visit my lake if you had this?”
Nyktos was quiet for so long that I looked at him. He was still staring at the pool. “Because it was your lake.”
I am swooning <3
I think I am going to add quotes every other time I am on goodreads because nyktos is just god-perfect.
⊱ ───── {.⋅ ۵♡۵ ⋅.} ──── ⊰
“He felt…gods, my head fell back. He felt like we were made for each other.”
😍😍 not me swooning
⊱ ───── {.⋅ ۵♡۵ ⋅.} ──── ⊰
character growth : sera showed massive character growth in this book and I am so ecstatic for her. and not to mention that she really resembles my bestie - sera (hi sera, if you see this somehow, even without a gr acc, I am talking about you 💓)
chemistry : okay I mainly picked up another JLA book after a year of hiatus because I wanted to read about the characters. The leads always have sizzling hot chemistry, and being able to see that in this book with Nyktos and Sera is something I will die for.
4 stars 🌟
ps: i might do a reread on sat for book 1…. their first encounter was fireworks 🎇
sooo... I admit I am gatekeeping this book as my favorite book boyfriend is the mmc 😚
“Why did you visit my lake if you had this?”
Nyktos was quiet for so long that I looked at him. He was still staring at the pool. “Because it was your lake.”
I am swooning <3
I think I am going to add quotes every other time I am on goodreads because nyktos is just god-perfect.
May 24, 2024
sera is mommy
look. it could have been shorter.
i absolutely love this series. I'm so inlove with it, but I've come to realise many things could be cut out because i do lose focus with all the rambling JLA calls her writing. i love JLA, don't get me wrong, i love her and how she writes these high fantasy worlds and how she wrote sera and nyktos and poppy and casteel. i love her worlds, they are literally perfect and there's nothing about the plot i could pick out because it is perfect. her writing is good too- like when sera relaised she was in love it was... perfectly written unlike some other books I've read where its just out of nowhere.
JLA also just knows how to write MEN. some mmc's give off boy vibes but like nyktos is ALL man. ugh i love it.a anyways back to her too long ramblings- it's a problem because i end up losing focus and also forgetting important parts of the book. girly needs a new editor.
one of my fave parts is the drakens. sera caring for jadis and reaver is so heart warming. and the fact we see reaver in FBAA brings tears to my eyes. i also love the characters, despite there being too many with slightly similar names and personalities not distinctive enough.
but overall vibes as always were chefs kiss and the ending had me gagged because like literally what will happen now? i thought i wouldn't want to read the next book but really i think i just forgot how much i love this world, characters and series.
look. it could have been shorter.
i absolutely love this series. I'm so inlove with it, but I've come to realise many things could be cut out because i do lose focus with all the rambling JLA calls her writing. i love JLA, don't get me wrong, i love her and how she writes these high fantasy worlds and how she wrote sera and nyktos and poppy and casteel. i love her worlds, they are literally perfect and there's nothing about the plot i could pick out because it is perfect. her writing is good too- like when sera relaised she was in love it was... perfectly written unlike some other books I've read where its just out of nowhere.
JLA also just knows how to write MEN. some mmc's give off boy vibes but like nyktos is ALL man. ugh i love it.a anyways back to her too long ramblings- it's a problem because i end up losing focus and also forgetting important parts of the book. girly needs a new editor.
one of my fave parts is the drakens. sera caring for jadis and reaver is so heart warming. and the fact we see reaver in FBAA brings tears to my eyes. i also love the characters, despite there being too many with slightly similar names and personalities not distinctive enough.
but overall vibes as always were chefs kiss and the ending had me gagged because like literally what will happen now? i thought i wouldn't want to read the next book but really i think i just forgot how much i love this world, characters and series.
November 19, 2022
“I never wanted to love. Not until you, liessa.”
I believe in Nyktos and Sera supremacy 🥺💖😩💘🥹
December 22, 2022
Genres: Fantasy/Romance
If you love this series, you might just want to scroll on by. There isn't any love here.
This wasn't just a one star reading experience for me but it was also a DNF....and I returned it to Audible. This was not for me. For being a long book N-O-T-H-I-N-G happens. Around half way they actually leave their compound and go somewhere. So I thought, "Finally! Something is going to happen." But no....back to the compound for more sex and more talking and more benign dialogue. I wanted some story but I wasn't finding any. So around the 15th or 16th hour mark, I reluctantly gave up. The decision to give up on a book usually torments me a little and more often than not, I go back and finish it...but I'm not feeling that need with this book.
If you love this series, you might just want to scroll on by. There isn't any love here.
This wasn't just a one star reading experience for me but it was also a DNF....and I returned it to Audible. This was not for me. For being a long book N-O-T-H-I-N-G happens. Around half way they actually leave their compound and go somewhere. So I thought, "Finally! Something is going to happen." But no....back to the compound for more sex and more talking and more benign dialogue. I wanted some story but I wasn't finding any. So around the 15th or 16th hour mark, I reluctantly gave up. The decision to give up on a book usually torments me a little and more often than not, I go back and finish it...but I'm not feeling that need with this book.
January 2, 2023
“I would’ve loved you if I could have. There would’ve been no stopping me.”
this was so tragic. watching sera fall in love with him knowing he could never love her back hurt. if he doesn’t get his kardia back somehow i’ll be devastated.
“I never wanted to love. Not until you.”
this series has the most likeable characters. i even liked them when i was mad at them (ash 🙄) because they’re all just so <333 i love nyktos’s whole court, especially the draken. jadis and reaver are adorable and nektas has my entire heart.
despite this book not being objectively great, i loved it. still pissed that jla KIDNAPPED sera though. how am i supposed to wait a year for the sequel???
this was so tragic. watching sera fall in love with him knowing he could never love her back hurt. if he doesn’t get his kardia back somehow i’ll be devastated.
“I never wanted to love. Not until you.”
this series has the most likeable characters. i even liked them when i was mad at them (ash 🙄) because they’re all just so <333 i love nyktos’s whole court, especially the draken. jadis and reaver are adorable and nektas has my entire heart.
despite this book not being objectively great, i loved it. still pissed that jla KIDNAPPED sera though. how am i supposed to wait a year for the sequel???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2022
We are back with Daddy Nyktos in the second book in the Flesh and Fire Series! I really loved the first book so much, I thought the characters and the lore was exciting and intriguing and I couldn't wait to read this next book and see what happens next. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down for me. The first few chapters are really good, fast paced and exciting even but then it basically turns into the doldrums and NOTHING happens for the next 50 percent of the book! It was so boring, repetitive and slow, which lead to another problem. I know what I am getting with JLA. The writing isn't the best, so I am prepared for that going in and just accept that fact, and try to focus on the plot and world building except when nothing is happening the the cringy writing is impossible to ignore and becomes almost unbearably difficult to read. There was no plot to be found and instead was replaced by hormones. This is becoming quite the trend lately with fantasy romance I have noticed and as much as I love the romance I need plot to invest.
It does pick up about 60 percent of the way in and finally we feel like we get back on track and the story starts to move in the right direction. Nyktos and Sera seemed to also lose a bit of their edge they had in the first book but I did love all the draken content and that cliffhanger ending was well done. I will continue the series but I am really hoping that the third book picks up the pace.
It does pick up about 60 percent of the way in and finally we feel like we get back on track and the story starts to move in the right direction. Nyktos and Sera seemed to also lose a bit of their edge they had in the first book but I did love all the draken content and that cliffhanger ending was well done. I will continue the series but I am really hoping that the third book picks up the pace.
Want to read
April 27, 2022I better see the creation of the first wolven in this book
June 21, 2023
Esta escritora siempre se las arregla para hacer unos finales épicos, pero esta vez no se lleva a las cinco estrellas, ya que es un final predecible y hay muy poca acción en prácticamente todo el libro.
Eso sí, me encanta la relación de Nyktos y Sera 💓. En este libro vemos muchas 🌶️🌶️❤️🔥, cosa que me gusta, pero a la vez se me ha hecho un poco pesado, ya que parecía que no iba a ocurrir nada más.
Aunque van sucediendo cosas, no es prácticamente hasta las últimas 100 páginas que ocurre toda la historia… además, lo que ocurre lo he ido prediciendo a la hora que iba avanzando la historia, así que me ha sorprendido más bien poco.
Aún así como os digo, la autora crea unos finales épicos y con muchas ganas de seguir leyendo sus historias, así que estoy deseando que salga el siguiente.
En resumen, me ha faltado acción, aunque por otro lado me ha gustado bastante la historia así que tengo sentimientos encontrados, por una parte me ha gustado pero por la otra se me ha quedado flojo y pesado con tanta escena sexual.
⚠️‼️⚠️Spoiler a partir de aquí⚠️‼️⚠️
No soporto que Nyktos no hable claro y le cuente toda la verdad a Sera, cuando ella se sincera con él diciendo que quiere ser su consorte, él sigue ocultándole algo súper importante como es el pacto con Veses 😣, aunque sea por vergüenza, creo que tendría que haberlo comentado.
Y al final me ha sorprendido eso de De sangre y cenizas, y lo de ser el primer gen de la vida y la muerte, eso no me lo esperaba, así que ha sido un punto bueno porque habido muchas cosas que me venía venir como al final que la rapta Kolis…
Esperaba que cuando se va al mundo humano, a ver a su hermana, sucederá algo más sin embargo, queda esa parte muy floja, luego está la parte de la coronación que también se queda corta y falta de acción.
Luego está, lo de que Kolis los reuniera para dar su visto bueno sobre la coronación, sí que tiene todo el sentido al final pero la verdad también esperaba algo más…
No lo sé, es como que habido muy poca acción durante el libro. Aunque debo confesar que me ha encantado la parte en que ella revive al draken ❤️🩹. Amo a Sera.
Eso sí, me encanta la relación de Nyktos y Sera 💓. En este libro vemos muchas 🌶️🌶️❤️🔥, cosa que me gusta, pero a la vez se me ha hecho un poco pesado, ya que parecía que no iba a ocurrir nada más.
Aunque van sucediendo cosas, no es prácticamente hasta las últimas 100 páginas que ocurre toda la historia… además, lo que ocurre lo he ido prediciendo a la hora que iba avanzando la historia, así que me ha sorprendido más bien poco.
Aún así como os digo, la autora crea unos finales épicos y con muchas ganas de seguir leyendo sus historias, así que estoy deseando que salga el siguiente.
En resumen, me ha faltado acción, aunque por otro lado me ha gustado bastante la historia así que tengo sentimientos encontrados, por una parte me ha gustado pero por la otra se me ha quedado flojo y pesado con tanta escena sexual.
⚠️‼️⚠️Spoiler a partir de aquí⚠️‼️⚠️
No soporto que Nyktos no hable claro y le cuente toda la verdad a Sera, cuando ella se sincera con él diciendo que quiere ser su consorte, él sigue ocultándole algo súper importante como es el pacto con Veses 😣, aunque sea por vergüenza, creo que tendría que haberlo comentado.
Y al final me ha sorprendido eso de De sangre y cenizas, y lo de ser el primer gen de la vida y la muerte, eso no me lo esperaba, así que ha sido un punto bueno porque habido muchas cosas que me venía venir como al final que la rapta Kolis…
Esperaba que cuando se va al mundo humano, a ver a su hermana, sucederá algo más sin embargo, queda esa parte muy floja, luego está la parte de la coronación que también se queda corta y falta de acción.
Luego está, lo de que Kolis los reuniera para dar su visto bueno sobre la coronación, sí que tiene todo el sentido al final pero la verdad también esperaba algo más…
No lo sé, es como que habido muy poca acción durante el libro. Aunque debo confesar que me ha encantado la parte en que ella revive al draken ❤️🩹. Amo a Sera.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2022
I AM NOT OKAY. THAT ENDING WAS NOT OKAY. I NEED BOOK THREE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
In case the capital letters weren't enough to persuade you that I loved this book, let me assure you that I LOVED this book. It had everything I could have possibly asked for in a sequel: romance, suspense, danger, magic, hurt comfort, angst-filled sword fighting, and so, SO much more. The author's depiction of anxiety felt realistic, and I am beyond grateful that Sera--a badass--can deal with it without ever being treated as weak. It is crucial that mental health disorders are reflected in books, especially when they are handled in a way that doesn't take over the entire story. Casual representation of anxiety is lacking in most fantasy (especially romance), and so to see it done so well here made this book even more special.
In case the capital letters weren't enough to persuade you that I loved this book, let me assure you that I LOVED this book. It had everything I could have possibly asked for in a sequel: romance, suspense, danger, magic, hurt comfort, angst-filled sword fighting, and so, SO much more. The author's depiction of anxiety felt realistic, and I am beyond grateful that Sera--a badass--can deal with it without ever being treated as weak. It is crucial that mental health disorders are reflected in books, especially when they are handled in a way that doesn't take over the entire story. Casual representation of anxiety is lacking in most fantasy (especially romance), and so to see it done so well here made this book even more special.
December 24, 2024
4.5 stars
Fuuuuuuuuck. Part of the ending was expected. You knew one of them would be taken, most likely her. And then when Kolis said he just wanted her power, I was hopeful that she wouldn't be kidnapped for long because he obviously would plan to kill her, but then she fucking ruined it and now he knows who she is. So who knows what will happen now.
And what does that ending mean? Was Ash there? Or was that in her head? Does he shift to a wolf? Or that just represents him somehow?
And dude. Poor Ector. I thought we were going to get a Poppy moment and Sera was that gonna blast everyone with her power and bring them back and then fuck up the attacking army for balance.
And Ash better get his whatever back so he can love her. Stop dicking around and fix it and go get your woman.
Fuuuuuuuuck. Part of the ending was expected. You knew one of them would be taken, most likely her. And then when Kolis said he just wanted her power, I was hopeful that she wouldn't be kidnapped for long because he obviously would plan to kill her, but then she fucking ruined it and now he knows who she is. So who knows what will happen now.
And what does that ending mean? Was Ash there? Or was that in her head? Does he shift to a wolf? Or that just represents him somehow?
And dude. Poor Ector. I thought we were going to get a Poppy moment and Sera was that gonna blast everyone with her power and bring them back and then fuck up the attacking army for balance.
And Ash better get his whatever back so he can love her. Stop dicking around and fix it and go get your woman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2022
chicos yo estoy a nada de denunciar a jennifer armentrout como me vas a dejar el libro así mujer por dios te pido UN DÍA DE PAZ
solo quiero dejar este paralelo entre poppycas/seranyktos porque me DESTRUYO completamente
the crown of gilded bones:
"And I knew why I could be like this with Casteel. It was further proof of what I felt so deeply when I opened my senses to him now. I was drowning in the taste of chocolate-dipped strawberries. Love."
a light in the flame:
"Those thick lashes of his lifted as his gaze roamed over my face. Seconds ticked by. “What are you thinking about?”
I stiffened. Oh, gods, I’d likely been projecting. “What do you feel?”
“I don’t know.” He sounded confounded, curious. “I…I taste sweetness.” His brows pinched. “It reminds me of chocolate and strawberries.”
solo quiero dejar este paralelo entre poppycas/seranyktos porque me DESTRUYO completamente
the crown of gilded bones:
"And I knew why I could be like this with Casteel. It was further proof of what I felt so deeply when I opened my senses to him now. I was drowning in the taste of chocolate-dipped strawberries. Love."
a light in the flame:
"Those thick lashes of his lifted as his gaze roamed over my face. Seconds ticked by. “What are you thinking about?”
I stiffened. Oh, gods, I’d likely been projecting. “What do you feel?”
“I don’t know.” He sounded confounded, curious. “I…I taste sweetness.” His brows pinched. “It reminds me of chocolate and strawberries.”
November 18, 2022
Nothing happens. I made it to 50% before I gave up and even that was a struggle.
UPDATE: After sitting on it overnight, I've decided to make a little bit of a longer review.
I've been a fan of JLA for a long time. Long before FBAA was released. I've always thought that her writing was fun and engaging and that didn't change when she released FBAA. I immediately fell in love with the world and characters. However, it felt like it lost its magic more and more with each book and I fell more and more out of love with the story and her writing. When she announced this spin-off series, I was excited because I felt like it was a chance to get it right and maybe change my mind. The first book was pretty good and I had already committed so much time to the world that I felt comfortable continuing the story after I finished that one. Then A War of Two Queens came out and I was DISAPPOINTED, but I stuck with it and decided that I would still give this book a chance. However, I don't think I will be continuing with any of the books in this series or the original FBAA series. Here's why....
- The characters- I loved Sera and Nyktos in the first book. They made me forget all about my dislike for Poppy and Casteel after the third book. However, much like FBAA, the characters went downhill in this installment. Sera fell into the same trap as Poppy did. They are dumb and they do dumb things, but everyone around them thinks they're brave. JLA's big weakness is writing realistic badass female characters and Sera is a carbon copy of Poppy in almost every way, right down to her "stabby" behavior and her ridiculous amounts of questions (more on that later). As for Nyktos, I still enjoy him. He's fine, but he's the book boyfriend that I needed him to be. He's just meh. And that's sad because there's so much potential.
-Story- I'm convinced that JLA doesn't plot her books out before she writes because her books are all over the place and the only way that things move forwards is through her FMC's questions. There was a lot of info dumps in this book (much like FBAA) and it was a chore to get through them. I'm a fast reader and it took me FOREVER to get through the 50 percent that I read because I was so bored. Nothing happened. I'm not being dramatic when I say that. There was little action scenes and the ones that were present were about two pages long and nothing came from them. This could have changed in the final half of the book, but I'll never know because I refuse to subject myself to that (I did read the final chapter because I needed to know what happened and I don't think I missed anything lol)
-Writing- I want to preface this by saying that I don't think that JLA is a bad writer. I'm not hating on her, but she NEEDS a good editor. There's a lot of grammatical errors (please note: I am not an expert on this and I know that this review could also use a good edit :)) and it definitely takes the reader out of the story when these errors occur. JLA also suffers from the tell not show syndrome and it drives me crazy. If I have to read another wall of dialogue explaining something that could have been shown in a much better way, I might cry.
I won't be continuing the books and that makes me sad because I wanted to love this.
As I side note: for those saying this is the best smut they've ever read, I implore you to read other books because there is much better smut out there.
UPDATE: After sitting on it overnight, I've decided to make a little bit of a longer review.
I've been a fan of JLA for a long time. Long before FBAA was released. I've always thought that her writing was fun and engaging and that didn't change when she released FBAA. I immediately fell in love with the world and characters. However, it felt like it lost its magic more and more with each book and I fell more and more out of love with the story and her writing. When she announced this spin-off series, I was excited because I felt like it was a chance to get it right and maybe change my mind. The first book was pretty good and I had already committed so much time to the world that I felt comfortable continuing the story after I finished that one. Then A War of Two Queens came out and I was DISAPPOINTED, but I stuck with it and decided that I would still give this book a chance. However, I don't think I will be continuing with any of the books in this series or the original FBAA series. Here's why....
- The characters- I loved Sera and Nyktos in the first book. They made me forget all about my dislike for Poppy and Casteel after the third book. However, much like FBAA, the characters went downhill in this installment. Sera fell into the same trap as Poppy did. They are dumb and they do dumb things, but everyone around them thinks they're brave. JLA's big weakness is writing realistic badass female characters and Sera is a carbon copy of Poppy in almost every way, right down to her "stabby" behavior and her ridiculous amounts of questions (more on that later). As for Nyktos, I still enjoy him. He's fine, but he's the book boyfriend that I needed him to be. He's just meh. And that's sad because there's so much potential.
-Story- I'm convinced that JLA doesn't plot her books out before she writes because her books are all over the place and the only way that things move forwards is through her FMC's questions. There was a lot of info dumps in this book (much like FBAA) and it was a chore to get through them. I'm a fast reader and it took me FOREVER to get through the 50 percent that I read because I was so bored. Nothing happened. I'm not being dramatic when I say that. There was little action scenes and the ones that were present were about two pages long and nothing came from them. This could have changed in the final half of the book, but I'll never know because I refuse to subject myself to that (I did read the final chapter because I needed to know what happened and I don't think I missed anything lol)
-Writing- I want to preface this by saying that I don't think that JLA is a bad writer. I'm not hating on her, but she NEEDS a good editor. There's a lot of grammatical errors (please note: I am not an expert on this and I know that this review could also use a good edit :)) and it definitely takes the reader out of the story when these errors occur. JLA also suffers from the tell not show syndrome and it drives me crazy. If I have to read another wall of dialogue explaining something that could have been shown in a much better way, I might cry.
I won't be continuing the books and that makes me sad because I wanted to love this.
As I side note: for those saying this is the best smut they've ever read, I implore you to read other books because there is much better smut out there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2023
– 3.5 stars
while i still love seranyktos in this book so much and the romance really shines in this series so far, i just needed more pain, heartbreak and angst. 🌚 couldn’t we have more painful scenes of Sera loving Nyktos, but him not able to love her back bc of his kardia scenes?! i’m a masochist and just want to feel hurt what can i say.🧚♀️
A Light in the Flame made me obsessed with Jadis and Reaver!! ik they are kids and basically baby drakkens, but i ship them so much. 😭 Jadis being a little menace and chasing Reaver around, while he is so grumpy and annoyed at her, but still secretly cares a lot about her? 😭😭😭 i love them. 🥺👉👈 their scenes were so cute in this book and it makes my heart hurt for Reaver and Nektas, knowing that Jadis is missing in the FBAA series. i need Jadis and Reaver to get together!!!
┍━━━━━━━━»•» «•«━┑
FLESH AND FIRE SERIES
#1 A Shadow in the Ember – 3.5 stars
#2 A Light in the Flame – 3.5 stars
#3 A Fire in the Flesh – tbr
#4 Born of Blood and Ash – tbr
┕━»•» «•«━━━━━━━━┙
”Even if you had your kardia, Ash, there was no guarantee you’d love me–”
”Yes, there is.” His eyes were wide and wild as he caught my wrists. “I would’ve loved you if I could have. There would’ve been no stopping me.”
while i still love seranyktos in this book so much and the romance really shines in this series so far, i just needed more pain, heartbreak and angst. 🌚 couldn’t we have more painful scenes of Sera loving Nyktos, but him not able to love her back bc of his kardia scenes?! i’m a masochist and just want to feel hurt what can i say.🧚♀️
A Light in the Flame made me obsessed with Jadis and Reaver!! ik they are kids and basically baby drakkens, but i ship them so much. 😭 Jadis being a little menace and chasing Reaver around, while he is so grumpy and annoyed at her, but still secretly cares a lot about her? 😭😭😭 i love them. 🥺👉👈 their scenes were so cute in this book and it makes my heart hurt for Reaver and Nektas, knowing that Jadis is missing in the FBAA series. i need Jadis and Reaver to get together!!!
┍━━━━━━━━»•» «•«━┑
FLESH AND FIRE SERIES
#1 A Shadow in the Ember – 3.5 stars
#2 A Light in the Flame – 3.5 stars
#3 A Fire in the Flesh – tbr
#4 Born of Blood and Ash – tbr
┕━»•» «•«━━━━━━━━┙
November 27, 2022
Wow, so the author is basically just determined to completely butcher every book series she has? Ok
•repetitive, boring dialogue where nothing happens
•no tension, no chemistry, no buildup between characters
•since when did sera become such a door mat?
•nothing revealed, yet again have to wait for the third book which I’m not going to bother with at this point
Why does this author insist on dragging out her series? There was no need for this book to be over 600 pages. Just like there was no need for a 4th FBAA book (which completely ruined the series). Just wrap everything up quicker, Jesus
I wouldn’t recommend, but you do you.
•repetitive, boring dialogue where nothing happens
•no tension, no chemistry, no buildup between characters
•since when did sera become such a door mat?
•nothing revealed, yet again have to wait for the third book which I’m not going to bother with at this point
Why does this author insist on dragging out her series? There was no need for this book to be over 600 pages. Just like there was no need for a 4th FBAA book (which completely ruined the series). Just wrap everything up quicker, Jesus
I wouldn’t recommend, but you do you.
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