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jg34's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
It has been awhile since a book (series) has made me feel so much. I loved all the characters and felt their triumph and their struggles through the pages (or through the headphone??). Each character had personality, the world and all the fantastical elements were beautifully described, and of course the romance!! So much more romance in book two since I feel like book one was all about establishing the love story, now we get to live it. And it was done perfectly in my opinion. No spice and any love scenes were done beautifully, not crudely. I could definitely see myself rereading in the future.
One part I didn’t totally understand -which could just be a me thing maybe I didn’t pay close enough attention- was why Jack didn’t come back to the mortal world right away? If he knew he could I felt like he would have right away. If giving up music was the hold up I don’t get that bc he already agreed to do so by going to the west. I know time is different there so maybe he only stayed in the fairy realm for like 3 days but still I would have expected it to be much sooner. anyway if anyone has any insight on that pls fill me in I think that was the only not perfect part of this book but it didn’t feel like enough to drop the rating especially bc I still liked the drama it caused I just don’t understand the why.
Please read this series!! The audiobooks are wonderful too if you love a good Scottish accent
One part I didn’t totally understand -which could just be a me thing maybe I didn’t pay close enough attention- was
Please read this series!! The audiobooks are wonderful too if you love a good Scottish accent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Blood, and Pandemic/Epidemic
karareadshobby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
jessiereads98's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? Yes
3.75
A Fire Endless follows Jack, Adaira, Torin, and Sidra across the Isle of Cadence as they handle the fall out of Adaira going west. It’s a solid sequel, and Rebecca Ross expands the world beautifully. This story was unexpectedly darker and heavier than the A River Enchanted, but it still maintains its atmospheric charm through lush and lyrical prose. A Fire Endless was more plot heavy than A River Enchanted, and I felt this was to its detriment.
This story had almost too
much going on for a final book of a duology. Adaira is learning the culture and politics of the West, Torin is adjusting to his role as laird of the East, Jack, Sidra, and Torin must save the Isle of Cadence from a mysterious plague affecting both the land and people. With this much ground to cover things felt rushed and choppy at times. The character development and main relationships which shone in the first book remain, but to a lesser degree. I felt the relationships were the biggest strength of the first book, and putting them to the side to focus on too many plot elements made this a weaker story. I especially didn’t likethe separation of Torin and Sidra. I expected to see them working on their relationship together, however we instead only got individual character development (mostly Torin) and their relationship was just healed through that at the very end seemingly. I also just didn’t care for the pregnancy plot. It felt unnecessary given everything else going on.
While the main relationships between Jack and Adaira, and Torin and Sidra remain we unfortunately don’t get to continue exploring the familial relationships from A River Enchanted in A Fire Endless. Mirin, Fraeda, and Maisie who played a prominent role in the first book are all but absent here. There was an attempt to explore the fraught relationship between Adaira and her biological parents here, but it ultimately gets lost and falls flat amongst everything else happening. Jack interacts with his paternal relatives 2 or 3 times total in 500 pages despite not having known his father being central to his character. I was disappointed by the lack of connections outside of the two main romantic relationships.
While there seemed to be more magic overall in A Fire Endless, there was less bardic magic. I loved the uniqueness of Jack’s powers as a bard in A River Enchanted and the way it was written. In A Fire Endless the interactions with the spirits are more direct, and initiated by the spirits. This made the magic seem more mundane, and like a plot device that Ross used to get us from one point to another.
Finally, I was disappointed by the ending. It felt rushed to make sure every loose end was tied up neatly, rather than those endings having been earned and making sense. I also didn’t like howJack became king of the spirits then gave up his powers entirely. There was very little build up for this ending to make sense with either the world or his character. I don’t think it was necessary to strip him of his bard magic entirely to prove the point that he loves Adaira.
Overall, this was a fine conclusion to the duology despite being a little disappointing.
This story had almost too
much going on for a final book of a duology. Adaira is learning the culture and politics of the West, Torin is adjusting to his role as laird of the East, Jack, Sidra, and Torin must save the Isle of Cadence from a mysterious plague affecting both the land and people. With this much ground to cover things felt rushed and choppy at times. The character development and main relationships which shone in the first book remain, but to a lesser degree. I felt the relationships were the biggest strength of the first book, and putting them to the side to focus on too many plot elements made this a weaker story. I especially didn’t like
While the main relationships between Jack and Adaira, and Torin and Sidra remain we unfortunately don’t get to continue exploring the familial relationships from A River Enchanted in A Fire Endless. Mirin, Fraeda, and Maisie who played a prominent role in the first book are all but absent here. There was an attempt to explore the fraught relationship between Adaira and her biological parents here, but it ultimately gets lost and falls flat amongst everything else happening. Jack interacts with his paternal relatives 2 or 3 times total in 500 pages despite not having known his father being central to his character. I was disappointed by the lack of connections outside of the two main romantic relationships.
While there seemed to be more magic overall in A Fire Endless, there was less bardic magic. I loved the uniqueness of Jack’s powers as a bard in A River Enchanted and the way it was written. In A Fire Endless the interactions with the spirits are more direct, and initiated by the spirits. This made the magic seem more mundane, and like a plot device that Ross used to get us from one point to another.
Finally, I was disappointed by the ending. It felt rushed to make sure every loose end was tied up neatly, rather than those endings having been earned and making sense. I also didn’t like how
Overall, this was a fine conclusion to the duology despite being a little disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Vomit, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Child death
Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, and Grief
mcdonom's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Death of parent
brichneyfloss's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Death
Minor: Sexual content
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A Fire Endless is a fitting end to the Elements of Cadence duology and an equally fitting sequel to A River Enchanted.
Rebecca Ross has crafted these twin books with great care, and it shows in the writing. Whilst reading Fire, I could feel her expert hand guiding the plot and characters, rather like (at least as it seemed to me) a chess master moving all their pieces into place to reach - in this case - a winning conclusion.
There were times when it seemed that Ross's writing held me under some magic spell, that to stop reading would be to break it. I realise that may sound odd and faintly ridiculous, but it is a testament to the immersiveness of the world and characters Ross has created that I felt this way.
I don't mean to say that this book was without flaws. Sometimes in between reading sessions I would lose the thread of certain plot elements, and had to accept that they had already been explained so I did not have to go back and reread. And that phrase I referred to earlier, about the chess master? Well, there were times when the chain of events seemed a little too convenient, too planned, too predictable.
But these quibbles didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the novel, and I am greatly looking forward to reading more from the extremely talented Rebecca Ross.
Rebecca Ross has crafted these twin books with great care, and it shows in the writing. Whilst reading Fire, I could feel her expert hand guiding the plot and characters, rather like (at least as it seemed to me) a chess master moving all their pieces into place to reach - in this case - a winning conclusion.
There were times when it seemed that Ross's writing held me under some magic spell, that to stop reading would be to break it. I realise that may sound odd and faintly ridiculous, but it is a testament to the immersiveness of the world and characters Ross has created that I felt this way.
I don't mean to say that this book was without flaws. Sometimes in between reading sessions I would lose the thread of certain plot elements, and had to accept that they had already been explained so I did not have to go back and reread. And that phrase I referred to earlier, about the chess master? Well, there were times when the chain of events seemed a little too convenient, too planned, too predictable.
But these quibbles didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the novel, and I am greatly looking forward to reading more from the extremely talented Rebecca Ross.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Sexual content, Blood, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Torture, and War
A major plot point in the novel revolves around the Breccan Laird and her family takingkirstym25's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Pregnancy
liltastypuff's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
*Chef's kiss*
Just as enjoyable as A River Enchanted.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
marsh_mall0w's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy and Sexual content
chrisljm's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A great conclusion to the duology; I enjoyed this book more than the first one. The pacing is slow but it built so much tension that way and left me eager to find out how it all concludes. I think Rebecca Ross did a fantastic job formulating this novel and making all the separate arcs/characters come together. I especially enjoyed the journey that Torin had to take and the way him and Sidra had to step into the other's role. And while I didn't care for the romance between Jack and Adaira, I loved seeing them reunite again. I'm glad to have gotten to read these two books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, and Death
Minor: Abandonment