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wearyreader's review against another edition
3.0
Love the world and characters but still disappointed.
The book is primarily built upon reveal to reveal to reveal without using any pacing to build tension. In between that is a bunch of characters constantly interrupting Maddie talking to someone else to talk to her but ultimately gets cut off to talk to someone else.
We are so much in Maddie’s thoughts being told everything instead of being shown anything. There’s also the supporting characters being oddly inconsistent. They won’t know something in one chapter and then in a few pages later, they say something that shows complete knowledge. And also the opposite where a character knows something the ENTIRE book and suddenly in the last chapter or so they forget and it becomes a reveal?…
All in all, the book is too short. Maddie has none of the actual confidence or lessons learned from the first. It almost feels like this book was written first. And each reveal or twist just comes off as if I’ve been lied to constantly.
Even with that all said, I’d be more than happy to read anything else in this universe.
The book is primarily built upon reveal to reveal to reveal without using any pacing to build tension. In between that is a bunch of characters constantly interrupting Maddie talking to someone else to talk to her but ultimately gets cut off to talk to someone else.
We are so much in Maddie’s thoughts being told everything instead of being shown anything. There’s also the supporting characters being oddly inconsistent. They won’t know something in one chapter and then in a few pages later, they say something that shows complete knowledge. And also the opposite where a character knows something the ENTIRE book and suddenly in the last chapter or so they forget and it becomes a reveal?…
All in all, the book is too short. Maddie has none of the actual confidence or lessons learned from the first. It almost feels like this book was written first. And each reveal or twist just comes off as if I’ve been lied to constantly.
Even with that all said, I’d be more than happy to read anything else in this universe.
dragonfly142's review
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Phoenix Flame was an enjoyable read. It was easy to follow and, though it did lack depth and worldbuilding. It also suffered from a few "things happen and resolve at a wave of a hand".
Whilst this book is listed as YA it's lack of depth and worldbuilding feels skewered to younger and even closer to middle grade if it wasn't for the bloody scenes through the duology. Havenfall felt like it was aimed at an older audience then this book. All of this make it a book that you can easily pick up and read mindlessly, which can be good in its own way.
The hand waving on the other hand (no pun in tended but left there because it made me giggle), just feels like bad writing. There were plenty of scenes that just happened, or didn't in the case of Taya.At the end of Havenfall she was sucked into the world of Solaria, but was recused off screen by Nahteran after he took the Phoenix Flame armor. The book also doesn't give any time to this issue to begin with. There was also no talk about how to save her or even really about her until after she is back at Havenfall.
I think this really suffers from being a small book on top of already being a duology with a previously small book. There are too many setups from the first book that had to be resolved in the second but had no time to be developed and resolve properly. I think the series would be a lot better if the Taya vanishing plot point was gotten rid of. It added nothing to the story at all, and instead took out what was starting to be an interesting character for half of the book. If this was removed there might have been more time to focus on the other plot points and improving them now that Taya is involved.
In the end I don't think the book is bad read. It is just mindless and something I might pick up in a couple of years time for an easy read.
Whilst this book is listed as YA it's lack of depth and worldbuilding feels skewered to younger and even closer to middle grade if it wasn't for the bloody scenes through the duology. Havenfall felt like it was aimed at an older audience then this book. All of this make it a book that you can easily pick up and read mindlessly, which can be good in its own way.
The hand waving on the other hand (no pun in tended but left there because it made me giggle), just feels like bad writing. There were plenty of scenes that just happened, or didn't in the case of Taya.
I think this really suffers from being a small book on top of already being a duology with a previously small book. There are too many setups from the first book that had to be resolved in the second but had no time to be developed and resolve properly. I think the series would be a lot better if the Taya vanishing plot point was gotten rid of. It added nothing to the story at all, and instead took out what was starting to be an interesting character for half of the book. If this was removed there might have been more time to focus on the other plot points and improving them now that Taya is involved.
In the end I don't think the book is bad read. It is just mindless and something I might pick up in a couple of years time for an easy read.
j_mcd's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
nicolealycia's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Phoenix Flame (Havenfall book 2) by Sara Holland
francantread's review
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
kerasalwaysreading's review
4.0
After the events in the previous book and the stopping of a major evil, things seem to be getting back to normal at Havenfall, finally. This place has always been a place of so much comfort for Maddie. She is still trying to sort her feelings out when it comes to how she feels about Taya and Brekken. But, at least with Brekken, it seems that a MORE might actually be possible, like she has been wanting for so long.
But, there is still more work to be done at the Inn. And in the process of these tasks, she discovers something that flips her whole world upside down. Upon the discovery that someone very dear to her is alive instead of dead as she thought for so long, her plans have taken a tailspin, creating new problems and obstacles she must overcome in order to make everything right again.
Among all of this, Maddie is still trying to sort through her feelings for Brekken and Taya. And while I love both of these characters, I get the unfortunate Gale from The Hunger Games vibe from Brekken and fear that his position as a soldier will always be the most important thing to him.
But, there is still more work to be done at the Inn. And in the process of these tasks, she discovers something that flips her whole world upside down. Upon the discovery that someone very dear to her is alive instead of dead as she thought for so long, her plans have taken a tailspin, creating new problems and obstacles she must overcome in order to make everything right again.
Among all of this, Maddie is still trying to sort through her feelings for Brekken and Taya. And while I love both of these characters, I get the unfortunate Gale from The Hunger Games vibe from Brekken and fear that his position as a soldier will always be the most important thing to him.
meeranair_54's review
3.0
The sequel to Havenfall, Phoenix Flame finds Maddie Morrow at the centre of a quest, as she adamantly wades into Fiordenkill, to weed out the soul trade and seek answers to her brother Nate’s disappearance.
What she finds in this kingdom of snow and ice chills her to the bone, for her determination to protect the Solarians ends up compromising the safety of her loved ones.
I loved the fact that several chapters in this book are set in Fiordenkill. While Sara Holland’s world-building doesn’t delve too much into the specifics of the magic system, what she reveals of these new worlds kept me engrossed throughout.
Maddie is still as easily trusting as in the first book; you’d think that after her experience with the Silver Prince, she’d be a little bit more sceptical. She displays a blatant disregard for consequences and leaves others to patch up problems that she has created.
I understand that she is a YA character, driven by one ultimate goal, but it would’ve been nice to see some improvement in her character arc.
The few glimpses of Taya and Nate’s relation left me wanting to know more about them, and I’m glad to see from the epilogue that the 3rd book in the series might pose the siblings as primary characters in the story.
Just like Havenfall, the writing in Phoenix Flame is propelled by action and subtly enforced by the descriptions of places and events. I had way too much fun reading about the two balls hosted (one at Havenfall and the other at Fiordenkill).
The ending of the climax had a frustratingly teasing cliffhanger, much like a lot of fantasy novels do. A part of me wanted to chuck something at the cast of characters, who were involved in a confrontation with the villain. Because they had such a clear shot at putting him down once and for all.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the 3rd book will showcase the character in some form. That’s yet to be seen.
I’d recommend this series to you if you are looking for light fantasy fiction, one that is not too complex in its world-building and also offers ample political intrigue, suspense, adventure.
I just read that this is the conclusion to the Havenfall duology. WHAT?!
There are so many lose threads in this book, and so far, the entire series has revolved around the much-hyped Solaria. But we haven’t even seen anything of it. It’s quite shocking to know that this is the end of this series. I’d been hoping to read more about all the worlds.
My recommendation still stands as it’s an entertaining series, but do keep in mind that you’ll probably have a lot of unanswered questions by the end.
What she finds in this kingdom of snow and ice chills her to the bone, for her determination to protect the Solarians ends up compromising the safety of her loved ones.
I loved the fact that several chapters in this book are set in Fiordenkill. While Sara Holland’s world-building doesn’t delve too much into the specifics of the magic system, what she reveals of these new worlds kept me engrossed throughout.
Maddie is still as easily trusting as in the first book; you’d think that after her experience with the Silver Prince, she’d be a little bit more sceptical. She displays a blatant disregard for consequences and leaves others to patch up problems that she has created.
I understand that she is a YA character, driven by one ultimate goal, but it would’ve been nice to see some improvement in her character arc.
The few glimpses of Taya and Nate’s relation left me wanting to know more about them
Just like Havenfall, the writing in Phoenix Flame is propelled by action and subtly enforced by the descriptions of places and events. I had way too much fun reading about the two balls hosted (one at Havenfall and the other at Fiordenkill).
The ending of the climax had a frustratingly teasing cliffhanger, much like a lot of fantasy novels do. A part of me wanted to chuck something at the cast of characters, who were involved in a confrontation with the villain. Because they had such a clear shot at putting him down once and for all.
I’d recommend this series to you if you are looking for light fantasy fiction, one that is not too complex in its world-building and also offers ample political intrigue, suspense, adventure.
I just read that this is the conclusion to the Havenfall duology. WHAT?!
There are so many lose threads in this book, and so far, the entire series has revolved around the much-hyped Solaria. But we haven’t even seen anything of it. It’s quite shocking to know that this is the end of this series. I’d been hoping to read more about all the worlds.
My recommendation still stands as it’s an entertaining series, but do keep in mind that you’ll probably have a lot of unanswered questions by the end.
franilou89's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
novelshire's review against another edition
2.0
Hmm... I'm not really sure about this one. As with the first book in this duology(?) the idea is great- a hotel hidden in the mountains that guards doorways to other worlds. One of my complaints about the first book was that we remained confined to this world - there were visitors from other worlds and teasing, fleeting descriptions but nothing more. Well, we get to visit one other world, though fairly briefly, and once again, we remain confined. Other characters that have returned from mysterious worlds don't even get a chance to talk about them. It feels like the concept of multiple worlds is just set-dressing.
I think the story suffers from being stuck in Maddie's perspective - easily the least interesting character and someone who continues to seem childish and impulsive whilst somehow convincing other characters that she'll make a good future guardian for this place.
The ideas, the setting, the hints of a more interesting story and good supporting characters was enough for me to still enjoy this book but I just wish it was all given more room to breathe.
A quick YA fantasy, good ideas, lacking in depth.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for the review copy.
I think the story suffers from being stuck in Maddie's perspective - easily the least interesting character and someone who continues to seem childish and impulsive whilst somehow convincing other characters that she'll make a good future guardian for this place.
The ideas, the setting, the hints of a more interesting story and good supporting characters was enough for me to still enjoy this book but I just wish it was all given more room to breathe.
A quick YA fantasy, good ideas, lacking in depth.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for the review copy.