Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Ugh, I was so excited for this one because of a thirst trap video that I saw on Instagram. Too bad that it did not have the "thirst trappyness" that I was looking for.
2/5 stars.
2/5 stars.
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If you want a story about a woman who is emotionally and physically abused by men who supposedly love her then this book is for you. This is not enemies to lovers, this is abuse and guilting the MFC into compliance because she is lonely and apparently thinks this is what she deserves. Raven is not a strong heroine and lets others dictate every aspect of her life.
I loathe Zeke and Cade. They are not morally gray. They are vile and poor representatives of what love looks like.
I wanted Raven to grow a backbone and unalive both of them or herself (just so the book would end). They are both mentally abusive but in different ways though they both do it claiming they love her. Zeke toys with her all with the reasoning that it’s for her own good b/c he can’t possibly tell her what’s going on. Just when you think his character has a little bit of growth and he might not be a complete waste, you’re proven wrong. Cade’s manipulation of Raven is even worse and progressed to compliant rape and I suspect it would be actual rape if she put up a fight.
Though I would like to see if Zeke can be redeemed somehow into a decent human being who deserves Ravens love, I don’t think I will continue the series as I don’t think she should end up with her abuser.
I loathe Zeke and Cade. They are not morally gray. They are vile and poor representatives of what love looks like.
I wanted Raven to grow a backbone and unalive both of them or herself (just so the book would end). They are both mentally abusive but in different ways though they both do it claiming they love her. Zeke toys with her all with the reasoning that it’s for her own good b/c he can’t possibly tell her what’s going on. Just when you think his character has a little bit of growth and he might not be a complete waste, you’re proven wrong. Cade’s manipulation of Raven is even worse and progressed to compliant rape and I suspect it would be actual rape if she put up a fight.
Though I would like to see if Zeke can be redeemed somehow into a decent human being who deserves Ravens love, I don’t think I will continue the series as I don’t think she should end up with her abuser.
Summary:
At 10 years old, Raven was mysteriously willed to be the next ruler of Seolia. As queen, she must protect a dark secret—she has dark magic, and she thirsts for blood. When a mysterious stranger arrives in her kingdom, she starts dreaming of her forgotten past and experiencing a bond she can’t explain.
Title: Kingdom of Flame and Fury
Author: Whitney Dean
@authorwhitneydean
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
At 10 years old, Raven was mysteriously willed to be the next ruler of Seolia. As queen, she must protect a dark secret—she has dark magic, and she thirsts for blood. When a mysterious stranger arrives in her kingdom, she starts dreaming of her forgotten past and experiencing a bond she can’t explain.
Title: Kingdom of Flame and Fury
Author: Whitney Dean
@authorwhitneydean
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
I absolutely enjoyed reading A Kingdom of Flame and Fury. Raven is the queen of Seolia, but she didn’t know her origins. She possesses dark magic and can transform into Terra, Frost, and Blaze. Blaze is my favorite among these three forms. She is so hot and amazing in this form.
She have only a few people she is closer to and is very afraid of losing them. Even though she is a queen, she is very humble and loved by her people. I love how Raven is so soft yet feisty and badass at the same time. I thought her best friend Cade is genuine and really cares about her, but I m not sure anymore. He is so annoying, and now he is hurting her in many ways. Zeke is her only hope, and when he is with her, she feels alive. They have sizzling chemistry, and they are made for each other. But Zeke is also suffering a lot because both his family and his loved one are in the clutches of his queen Mira from Reales. I love how Zeke is all broody and dark but lightens up the moment he sees Raven. I enjoyed every Zaven moment. It was absolutely hot!
I didn't like Jeanine at first, but she is actually a really good friend and dependable. Raven is already in chaos feeling betrayed and hurt by the people she considered trustworthy. Zeke doesn't know what to do to make everything right. I hope they will get a happy ending. I can't wait to read A Kingdom of Frost and Fear.
She have only a few people she is closer to and is very afraid of losing them. Even though she is a queen, she is very humble and loved by her people. I love how Raven is so soft yet feisty and badass at the same time. I thought her best friend Cade is genuine and really cares about her, but I m not sure anymore. He is so annoying, and now he is hurting her in many ways. Zeke is her only hope, and when he is with her, she feels alive. They have sizzling chemistry, and they are made for each other. But Zeke is also suffering a lot because both his family and his loved one are in the clutches of his queen Mira from Reales. I love how Zeke is all broody and dark but lightens up the moment he sees Raven. I enjoyed every Zaven moment. It was absolutely hot!
I didn't like Jeanine at first, but she is actually a really good friend and dependable. Raven is already in chaos feeling betrayed and hurt by the people she considered trustworthy. Zeke doesn't know what to do to make everything right. I hope they will get a happy ending. I can't wait to read A Kingdom of Frost and Fear.
I was provided an e-ARC of this novel through the author’s discord. Please check out the author’s instagram page for more information on how to best access this series. This review will contain my honest thoughts on the novel, and was in no way influenced by current events with the author or publisher.
I have been following Whitney Dean for a while on social media, and as with any other book enthusiast, I kept adding more books to my tbr list on Goodreads. However when the opportunity came up to get an e-ARC of this series I jumped. I was just finishing another fantasy novel that left me longing for more angst, world building, fiery characters, and political intrigue. The timing was too good to pass up.
The opening scene of this novel is one of my favorites. I found myself thinking back to this introduction of our characters, and their home, more and more as secrets were revealed later in the story. I connected so quickly to Dean’s writing, world building, and her characters that it felt like I’d known them all along.
We meet Raven, who was thrown into her queendom by a king she never knew, and discover that she hasn’t shed her innate sense of relatability. While she may have duties pertaining to a queen, she still enjoys the primal pleasures of any commoner (which include but are not limited to drinking while disguised at the local bar, hooking up with strangers, and blending in with the crowd).
It was also clear from the first introduction that there is a tight, but complicated, bond between Raven and her advisor Cade. This relationship begins to spiral when visitors from a neighboring land arrive unannounced, with their focus solely on Raven.
I cannot adequately explain how connected I felt to Raven. I could so clearly feel her desire for Zeke, and her conflicted feelings for Cade. I could understand her internal struggle with her power, as she attempted to master her dark secret. I could also understand, as the story progressed, her willingness to allow those closest to her to hurt her, during the times when she seemed to forget her own agency.
This story made me reflect a lot on the growth I’ve had as a person, and as a reader. If I had read this story when I was in college I would loath Raven. I would hate her choices, and despise the progression of the story. Instead I felt compassion for her situation, empathy as she struggled, and a yearning for her to stand on her own. While I might not make the same choices as Raven in my real life, I could logically and emotionally see how she ended up in this tangled web of heartache, and was making questionable choices to soothe her wounds.
The most powerful part of this story is the emotional connection between the characters, and their physical responses to one another. This story thrives off of love, lust, and power dynamics. We had little teasers, alluding to the true darkness hidden deep within Raven, and I genuinely wanted more than just a glimpse of her thirst for blood. This story was so character driven that the plot sometimes felt submerged under the emotional weight of the characters actions.
Throughout the novel Raven is struggling to untangle her feelings for Cade and Zeke, while also coming to terms with her power, who she is in the world, and where she came from. As the reader we oscillate between Raven’s point of view, and Zeke’s, which means we know more about Raven’s past and Zeke’s motivations.
The only time I felt disconnected from Raven was during the last few chapters when some of the bigger secrets were finally uncovered. I tried so hard to put myself in Raven’s position, and understand her reactions, but my foreknowledge as the reader kept getting in the way. Her reactions felt overdramatic, and even like they were intentionally made to fit the plot instead of aligning authentically to her character.
While this story does have elements of magic, murder, and a tiny hint of political discourse, it is mainly a study of relationships between characters. While this novel could be triggering for some readers (there are full trigger warnings on the author’s website), I also think that, depending on Raven’s actions in the next two novels, this could eventually lead to healing. I’m very interested to see what choices Raven will make in books two and three. I’m looking forward to seeing who she becomes next.
I have been following Whitney Dean for a while on social media, and as with any other book enthusiast, I kept adding more books to my tbr list on Goodreads. However when the opportunity came up to get an e-ARC of this series I jumped. I was just finishing another fantasy novel that left me longing for more angst, world building, fiery characters, and political intrigue. The timing was too good to pass up.
The opening scene of this novel is one of my favorites. I found myself thinking back to this introduction of our characters, and their home, more and more as secrets were revealed later in the story. I connected so quickly to Dean’s writing, world building, and her characters that it felt like I’d known them all along.
We meet Raven, who was thrown into her queendom by a king she never knew, and discover that she hasn’t shed her innate sense of relatability. While she may have duties pertaining to a queen, she still enjoys the primal pleasures of any commoner (which include but are not limited to drinking while disguised at the local bar, hooking up with strangers, and blending in with the crowd).
It was also clear from the first introduction that there is a tight, but complicated, bond between Raven and her advisor Cade. This relationship begins to spiral when visitors from a neighboring land arrive unannounced, with their focus solely on Raven.
I cannot adequately explain how connected I felt to Raven. I could so clearly feel her desire for Zeke, and her conflicted feelings for Cade. I could understand her internal struggle with her power, as she attempted to master her dark secret. I could also understand, as the story progressed, her willingness to allow those closest to her to hurt her, during the times when she seemed to forget her own agency.
This story made me reflect a lot on the growth I’ve had as a person, and as a reader. If I had read this story when I was in college I would loath Raven. I would hate her choices, and despise the progression of the story. Instead I felt compassion for her situation, empathy as she struggled, and a yearning for her to stand on her own. While I might not make the same choices as Raven in my real life, I could logically and emotionally see how she ended up in this tangled web of heartache, and was making questionable choices to soothe her wounds.
The most powerful part of this story is the emotional connection between the characters, and their physical responses to one another. This story thrives off of love, lust, and power dynamics. We had little teasers, alluding to the true darkness hidden deep within Raven, and I genuinely wanted more than just a glimpse of her thirst for blood. This story was so character driven that the plot sometimes felt submerged under the emotional weight of the characters actions.
Throughout the novel Raven is struggling to untangle her feelings for Cade and Zeke, while also coming to terms with her power, who she is in the world, and where she came from. As the reader we oscillate between Raven’s point of view, and Zeke’s, which means we know more about Raven’s past and Zeke’s motivations.
The only time I felt disconnected from Raven was during the last few chapters when some of the bigger secrets were finally uncovered. I tried so hard to put myself in Raven’s position, and understand her reactions, but my foreknowledge as the reader kept getting in the way. Her reactions felt overdramatic, and even like they were intentionally made to fit the plot instead of aligning authentically to her character.
While this story does have elements of magic, murder, and a tiny hint of political discourse, it is mainly a study of relationships between characters. While this novel could be triggering for some readers (there are full trigger warnings on the author’s website), I also think that, depending on Raven’s actions in the next two novels, this could eventually lead to healing. I’m very interested to see what choices Raven will make in books two and three. I’m looking forward to seeing who she becomes next.
“Maybe I should let him rip me apart. He could carry my broken pieces around with him.”
Queen Raven never fit in. Orphaned and possessed by black magic, she longs to know where she comes from, while wanting to protect her kingdom and its people. When a mysterious stranger from a distant kingdom shows up and is instantly drawn to Raven, will it lead to more questions, or will Raven’s past finally be unraveled?
“You always love me best in the dark.”
I have not been a fantasy girlie for a hot minute, so diving into this chunker was a mission. One of the things I really liked about this book was the magic which was a cross between elemental and shifter magic. It has a bit of fated mates, a love triangle and a cliffhanger for the ages! Can’t wait to see how the next book goes!
Note: check TW/CW! This is Book 1 of an ongoing series. This book contains elemental magic, hella sexy times & themes that are not suitable for everyone.
Thank you to Whitney Dean and the SmutHood team for the ARC. This review was written honestly & voluntarily based on my own enjoyment of the book.
Queen Raven never fit in. Orphaned and possessed by black magic, she longs to know where she comes from, while wanting to protect her kingdom and its people. When a mysterious stranger from a distant kingdom shows up and is instantly drawn to Raven, will it lead to more questions, or will Raven’s past finally be unraveled?
“You always love me best in the dark.”
I have not been a fantasy girlie for a hot minute, so diving into this chunker was a mission. One of the things I really liked about this book was the magic which was a cross between elemental and shifter magic. It has a bit of fated mates, a love triangle and a cliffhanger for the ages! Can’t wait to see how the next book goes!
Note: check TW/CW! This is Book 1 of an ongoing series. This book contains elemental magic, hella sexy times & themes that are not suitable for everyone.
Thank you to Whitney Dean and the SmutHood team for the ARC. This review was written honestly & voluntarily based on my own enjoyment of the book.
This first book had so many things I adore about dark fantasy: morally grey FMC and MMC, secrets and plotting, spice and soooooo much more 🫶🏻
What to expect
✨ Dark Fantasy romance
🌑 Dark Magic
👀 Court intrigues
🌚 Morally grey FMC and MMC
🔥 Lust at first sight / reverse slow-burn
💔 Lovers to enemies
🌶️ Spicy spicy spice, angst and tension
🗡️ Hidden identity, secrets and betrayal
This was raw, undiluted and wild emotions.
And I was there for it from the first to the last page. The plot was sooooooo good. Even though some twists were predictable, it was so enjoyable and interesting to see it from both POV.
I LOVED the magic system and was so intrigued by Raven’s peculiar powers 🔥❄️🌱
What to expect
✨ Dark Fantasy romance
🌑 Dark Magic
👀 Court intrigues
🌚 Morally grey FMC and MMC
🔥 Lust at first sight / reverse slow-burn
💔 Lovers to enemies
🌶️ Spicy spicy spice, angst and tension
🗡️ Hidden identity, secrets and betrayal
This was raw, undiluted and wild emotions.
And I was there for it from the first to the last page. The plot was sooooooo good. Even though some twists were predictable, it was so enjoyable and interesting to see it from both POV.
I LOVED the magic system and was so intrigued by Raven’s peculiar powers 🔥❄️🌱
”You always love me best in the dark.”
“Because you are my light.”
Zeke is my new Roman Empire. This man is sassiness incarnate 🔥 but we also witness his vulnerability and his fear behind the arrogance when it comes to Raven.
Raven is so fierce, feisty and fiery. She’s amazing and relatable FMC and my heart broke for her despair. She deserves the world 🫶🏻
“I would have burned the very soil of this world for you.”
Everyone needs a bartender like Arthur 🍻
NB: Cade is a piece of 💩 and I hate his guts.
I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. I loved it, I hated it. I gave it 4 stars for now. Not sure if I will keep that rating but for now it’s a 4 star book! Such as Zeke and Raven’s relationship, I also feel like I have a kind of love-hate relationship with this book, haha!
It felt a bit weird to me when Zeke and Raven saw each other and started kissing when they literally just met. I couldn’t really understand, I’ve never read a book before where the characters fall in love at first sight. After a while you find out they’re twin flames. I guess it’s a bit like the mating bond in acotar, that they can’t keep their hands off each other. They had sex way before they had a good talk, getting to know each other. I think it’s because of the bond they have that they feel the urge to constantly have sex, but it would’ve been better for me if the story explained that bond between them a bit more.
Sometimes it felt like the writer wanted it to be a spicy book so much that it didn’t always add something to the plot. For example I didn’t get why she felt the need to have sex with Cade even when she didn’t actually wanted to. Why she let him do all that to her, treat her horribly, and still forgive him very quick. I know she didn’t feel the power to tell him, or thought he could heal her. But at those moments she wasn’t very true to herself, which she new on some level. She was struggling so much with herself, but sometimes it would’ve been even better for me if that was also represented in the story explaining why she did what she did with Cade, or Zeke.
I love how you find out more about all the secrets later on in the book. For example how Cade ‘let’ her go to the festival that night she met Zeke. He was controlling her the entire time. And Raven please don’t ever go back to Cade. My god I hate him!
I know she was saying she didn’t knew who she was. Her internal fight is probably why she couldn’t be alone as well. But at some times I didn’t really feel it. I’m not sure why or how, which is one of the reasons why I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. At some points it just felt a bit superficial.
And even though we read some chapters from Zeke’s pov, I still didn’t always feel connected to him. Like I never really got to know him. The description of how he looked in the eyes of Raven was a bit short sometimes, which is why I still can’t really picture him in my head.
I was so happy when the boat scenes happened. When they finally started talking a bit more. I loved that part so much, happy they finally connected on another level instead of only being physical.
I get why she was so mad at Cade for not telling her. And all we know about him now, I wouldn’t forgive him very easily. Just ‘sorry’ wouldn’t be enough. And I do really get why she is so angry with Zeke at the end of the book. But honestly, when he kept talking about that secret and that he couldn’t tell her, that she would hate him. And when she finally met Mira and found out about her family, and that he actually is a prince and that’s why he proposed, I get that she was totally overwhelmed and mad. But I thought it would be much much worse about Zeke’s secret. I still think there’s more. During the story it wasn’t very clear to me what was so bad about it all. And why everything about Mira was a secret. And why Zeke had to go to Seolia to get Raven. And why that had to be a secret for so long. I still don’t get it all.
If her family and him being a royalty is the big secret he was constantly talking about and why he had to walk away from her and break her heart, I don’t get it. Why couldn’t he tell her? If he’s her twin flame, isn’t it the best of all to hear that all from him? Someone so very very close and safe to you? She had to wait to hear everything from Mira which she didn’t even really remember. Why was Mira the one to tell her everything, why did Zeke need to break her heart just for this? I mean I get that it’s a lot, and she’s completely overwhelmed. But why Zeke couldn’t tell her I can’t understand. I would be angry too, but hating him as much as she does at the end of the book? Deep down I couldn’t hate him that much, and I can’t imagine Raven does. That twin flame bond is too strong depending on how things were between them through the rest of the book.
But besides those things that made it a 4 star book instead of a 5 star book for me, I loved it. I read it in 3 days. And it was the first time for me I read an English book this easily, as I usually only read Dutch books. I need to know everything and Zeke and Raven HAVE to be endgame for me. If she ends up with Cade I will hate these books forever
It felt a bit weird to me when Zeke and Raven saw each other and started kissing when they literally just met. I couldn’t really understand, I’ve never read a book before where the characters fall in love at first sight. After a while you find out they’re twin flames. I guess it’s a bit like the mating bond in acotar, that they can’t keep their hands off each other. They had sex way before they had a good talk, getting to know each other. I think it’s because of the bond they have that they feel the urge to constantly have sex, but it would’ve been better for me if the story explained that bond between them a bit more.
Sometimes it felt like the writer wanted it to be a spicy book so much that it didn’t always add something to the plot. For example I didn’t get why she felt the need to have sex with Cade even when she didn’t actually wanted to. Why she let him do all that to her, treat her horribly, and still forgive him very quick. I know she didn’t feel the power to tell him, or thought he could heal her. But at those moments she wasn’t very true to herself, which she new on some level. She was struggling so much with herself, but sometimes it would’ve been even better for me if that was also represented in the story explaining why she did what she did with Cade, or Zeke.
I love how you find out more about all the secrets later on in the book. For example how Cade ‘let’ her go to the festival that night she met Zeke. He was controlling her the entire time. And Raven please don’t ever go back to Cade. My god I hate him!
I know she was saying she didn’t knew who she was. Her internal fight is probably why she couldn’t be alone as well. But at some times I didn’t really feel it. I’m not sure why or how, which is one of the reasons why I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. At some points it just felt a bit superficial.
And even though we read some chapters from Zeke’s pov, I still didn’t always feel connected to him. Like I never really got to know him. The description of how he looked in the eyes of Raven was a bit short sometimes, which is why I still can’t really picture him in my head.
I was so happy when the boat scenes happened. When they finally started talking a bit more. I loved that part so much, happy they finally connected on another level instead of only being physical.
I get why she was so mad at Cade for not telling her. And all we know about him now, I wouldn’t forgive him very easily. Just ‘sorry’ wouldn’t be enough. And I do really get why she is so angry with Zeke at the end of the book. But honestly, when he kept talking about that secret and that he couldn’t tell her, that she would hate him. And when she finally met Mira and found out about her family, and that he actually is a prince and that’s why he proposed, I get that she was totally overwhelmed and mad. But I thought it would be much much worse about Zeke’s secret. I still think there’s more. During the story it wasn’t very clear to me what was so bad about it all. And why everything about Mira was a secret. And why Zeke had to go to Seolia to get Raven. And why that had to be a secret for so long. I still don’t get it all.
If her family and him being a royalty is the big secret he was constantly talking about and why he had to walk away from her and break her heart, I don’t get it. Why couldn’t he tell her? If he’s her twin flame, isn’t it the best of all to hear that all from him? Someone so very very close and safe to you? She had to wait to hear everything from Mira which she didn’t even really remember. Why was Mira the one to tell her everything, why did Zeke need to break her heart just for this? I mean I get that it’s a lot, and she’s completely overwhelmed. But why Zeke couldn’t tell her I can’t understand. I would be angry too, but hating him as much as she does at the end of the book? Deep down I couldn’t hate him that much, and I can’t imagine Raven does. That twin flame bond is too strong depending on how things were between them through the rest of the book.
But besides those things that made it a 4 star book instead of a 5 star book for me, I loved it. I read it in 3 days. And it was the first time for me I read an English book this easily, as I usually only read Dutch books. I need to know everything and Zeke and Raven HAVE to be endgame for me. If she ends up with Cade I will hate these books forever
this is a great fantasy read with magic and steamy romance ❤️