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adventurous
dark
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Spoilers ahead!!
The first half or so of this book was a bit boring and forgettable. I found myself begging Sera and Ash to stop talking, get out of bed, and brush their teeth or something.
The second part of the book picked back up nicely! It was a welcome return to the well-written and exciting story I’d been missing. There was a lot of action and though people died (stop killing draken!!) I’m thrilled that we didn’t losemain characters or people we really cared about in the final battle. It would have been too much after losing Ezra and the whole kingdom of Lasania, basically. I’m so tired of that level of doom and gloom. Seeing a truly unhinged and nutso Kolis was interesting, too.
I really enjoyed how Sera’s trauma and her processing of it was portrayed. She’s deeply flawed and her mistakes actually mattered. It’s refreshing to see that from a FMC.
I didn’t love how most of Ash’s personality was reduced to “over-protective wife-guy”. The chemistry and banter from books 1 and 2 was gone (until the end of the book imo). Ash doing things like growling at a doctor for touching Sera just made me mad. That’s not cute!! Chill out!!
And finally, the pregnancy trope. Normally I hate it and I was dreading the reveal from the first mention of nausea. BUT this one actually made sense and was well done. It wasn’t just plopped in there to wrap things up (cough coughACOTAR ). I liked that it played a part in the plot and answered a lot of questions. I did NOT like how much it emphasized that Sera and Ash had only known each other for like four months. How is that possible? It pissed me off. Anyway.
The first half had me annoyed but the second half had me locked in. I cant wait for the final book to come out in a few days!
The first half or so of this book was a bit boring and forgettable. I found myself begging Sera and Ash to stop talking, get out of bed, and brush their teeth or something.
The second part of the book picked back up nicely! It was a welcome return to the well-written and exciting story I’d been missing. There was a lot of action and though people died (stop killing draken!!) I’m thrilled that we didn’t lose
I really enjoyed how Sera’s trauma and her processing of it was portrayed. She’s deeply flawed and her mistakes actually mattered. It’s refreshing to see that from a FMC.
I didn’t love how most of Ash’s personality was reduced to “over-protective wife-guy”. The chemistry and banter from books 1 and 2 was gone (until the end of the book imo). Ash doing things like growling at a doctor for touching Sera just made me mad. That’s not cute!! Chill out!!
And finally, the pregnancy trope. Normally I hate it and I was dreading the reveal from the first mention of nausea. BUT this one actually made sense and was well done. It wasn’t just plopped in there to wrap things up (cough cough
The first half had me annoyed but the second half had me locked in. I cant wait for the final book to come out in a few days!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, War
Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm confilted with this book. I alternated between the numeric and audiobook. I dont not think I would have been able to finish the book underwise. The frist 60% of the book are mainly dialog that last for an eternity without any developement at all. The last 40%, which is the interesting part, feels so rush to me.
The character talk of entombing Kolis for the whole book and it end up being a rush battle within 1 chapter. For this strong being, it seems to be easily completed and disappointing. But this is my personal opinion
This book could have easily been 400 pages rather than 800. There was so many filler chapter of spicy scene. Summary, both character don't want talk about their trauma, they will get shack it up (all the freaking time!)! I felt this book prioritize spice vs plot. This is were my interest was lost.
I'm still looking forward to The primal of Blood and Bone! But I feel the last two book in the Flesh and Fire series have been a major disappointment compared to the Blood and Ash series. I truly hope we have a lovely finality of the story.
This book could have easily been 400 pages rather than 800. There was so many filler chapter of spicy scene. Summary, both character don't want talk about their trauma, they will get shack it up (all the freaking time!)! I felt this book prioritize spice vs plot. This is were my interest was lost.
I'm still looking forward to The primal of Blood and Bone! But I feel the last two book in the Flesh and Fire series have been a major disappointment compared to the Blood and Ash series. I truly hope we have a lovely finality of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy
Moderate: Suicide, War
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Death, Grief, Pregnancy
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a letdown. Sera and Ash were my favorite and this book really ruined a great series. I understand going through her complex PTSD but the pregnancy trope is genuinely one of the worst tropes there is. Ash truly left me disappointed in how he handled a lot of things, especially with it being out of character for him. him forcing Sera to talk when she wasn't ready, basically ghosted her emotionally and then has the audacity to ask for more, was a hard read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the longest a book has taken me since October 2023 and not because it was bad but I read it on my kindle and when I opened it and it said 18 hours and 50 minutes left in book it felt overwhelming!
This is a FAVOURITE series for sure. I had read from blood and ash first and whilst a standalone series that makes sense, this series built so much more of the world and a larger understanding of what’s going on.
I want a Nyktos! This book was the slowest of the series but when it’s 19 hours you can’t expect it to be all go, all the time. Loved it! It was just a lot of chat and discussing war and what’s to come and strategies. What a good series though! Love. Love. Love.
This is a FAVOURITE series for sure. I had read from blood and ash first and whilst a standalone series that makes sense, this series built so much more of the world and a larger understanding of what’s going on.
I want a Nyktos! This book was the slowest of the series but when it’s 19 hours you can’t expect it to be all go, all the time. Loved it! It was just a lot of chat and discussing war and what’s to come and strategies. What a good series though! Love. Love. Love.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book felt so very very long. I understand it was the last in this series and had a lot of ground to cover, but it was a slog to get through. Not nearly as much happened as I thought would and there was so much filler. I love the first books in this series, but this one could have been half the length to tell the same story.
Much of the filler in this book was spice. The book is so horny. Don't get me wrong, I love some good spice, but when a book is this long, I don't think we need quite *that* many sex scenes. It felt like filler to make the book longer instead of being meaningful.
The book also tried to touch on so many heavy themes or 'hot button' issues: assault, suicide, general trauma, abortion...there's more I'm sure. At first is was interesting, but then it started to feel a little shoe horned in, a writing challenge to see how many heavy/triggering topics can we fit in here or how can we stretch this book out even longer than it needs to be. It stopped feeling genuine very quickly.
You know Sera ends up pregnant at some point, but I don't love how it was done. Maybe its the place I currently am in life (hi from a childless cat lady), but I did not love the long bits going on about being pregnant and how wonderful & magical it is to be a parent. Had I been reading the physical book and not the audiobook, I would have skimmed/skipped those sections. I was over it very quickly.
The whole plot with the prophecy felt very convoluted to me. What they thought it meant, what other characters thought it meant, what it actually means and how it ties to the Blood & Ash series. I got so lost. I have not currently read the last two B&A books, so maybe that's part of the issue? I know enough to be dangerous, but not helpful? I also got lost in the last chapter that was part of the futureCalum and the diamond, the prophecy being fulfilled . It just felt so confusing.
Last notes - I thought this series had way too many characters I did start to mix them up. However, some of them had fun personalities and were very interesting. In this book, too many people blended together and felt flat. The charm that I found it a large cast was lost.
Much of the filler in this book was spice. The book is so horny. Don't get me wrong, I love some good spice, but when a book is this long, I don't think we need quite *that* many sex scenes. It felt like filler to make the book longer instead of being meaningful.
The book also tried to touch on so many heavy themes or 'hot button' issues: assault, suicide, general trauma, abortion...there's more I'm sure. At first is was interesting, but then it started to feel a little shoe horned in, a writing challenge to see how many heavy/triggering topics can we fit in here or how can we stretch this book out even longer than it needs to be. It stopped feeling genuine very quickly.
You know Sera ends up pregnant at some point, but I don't love how it was done. Maybe its the place I currently am in life (hi from a childless cat lady), but I did not love the long bits going on about being pregnant and how wonderful & magical it is to be a parent. Had I been reading the physical book and not the audiobook, I would have skimmed/skipped those sections. I was over it very quickly.
The whole plot with the prophecy felt very convoluted to me. What they thought it meant, what other characters thought it meant, what it actually means and how it ties to the Blood & Ash series. I got so lost. I have not currently read the last two B&A books, so maybe that's part of the issue? I know enough to be dangerous, but not helpful? I also got lost in the last chapter that was part of the future
Last notes - I thought this series had way too many characters I did start to mix them up. However, some of them had fun personalities and were very interesting. In this book, too many people blended together and felt flat. The charm that I found it a large cast was lost.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, War
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Once again, JLA did wonders with her book. Sera and Ash's relationship growing stronger through trauma is beautiful. One could wish for more scenes with Jadis and Reaver that are so loveable, and hopefully there'll be a book that gets into them further as well as a book that shows Ires and Malec grow with the two drake, and would go over details as to why they picked these names for the babies, how did Malec's leaving happen, and the main events in between Sera's and Poppy's times. JLA also took her sweet time to have Sera realise she is pregnant, maybe too much time as it was strongly hinted since the previous book already.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail