Book Review: A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L Armentrout

Y'all. I've been dying to read this book since the first one, A Shadow in the Ember. It's not that I don't like the FBAA series, but I much prefer Sera's story to Poppy's. I haven't had a ton of time for stuff like this, but I did reread A Shadow in the Ember just before diving into this beauty!

Book one left off on a lot of uncertainty. Everyone's secrets were bared: Sera had been training to kill Nyktos in the hopes it would save her people; Nyktos had his ability to love removed. But, they both had an undeniable pull toward the other.

Book two picks up right where book one left off.

JLA has a habit of dropping bombs and ending books. I don't always like it, but it was really well done here, especially for folks who don't have to worry about waiting for the next book.

In ALITF, we dive deeper into fate, love, and redemption.

Sera learns that her mentor is actually a Fate who was just shy of intervening, but he did it with a purpose: to train Sera. While she was raised believing everything she did was to destroy Nyktos, in fact, she was being trained to kill Kolis (the big bad wolf!). Pair that with the embers of life hidden in Sera's bloodline and we've got a whole host of things going on.

I also have to say: this is the kind of romance I look for in almost every book I read. I want sizzling chemistry, consent, and lots of inappropriate behavior between the love interests. That even though they are technically enemies, they can't help but be drawn to one another.

This book was a rollercoaster from start to finish, but I truly loved every second of it. There were times where I just wanted to shake Sera and Nyktos and make them see sense, but I was engaged completely, and I think that is the mark of a good story.

This one left on an even bigger cliffhanger than the first and left me wishing for more. Unfortunately, JLA won't be publishing it until late 2023, so I'll be waiting with baited breath until then!

Abbie

Book Review: Girls of Storm & Shadow by Natasha Ngan

This is the sequel to a book I read earlier this year called Girls of Paper & Fire, which was a fantastic young adult fantasy novel that I read earlier this year.

At the end of book one there's not really a happily ever after, but a happily for now. The main character, Lei, and her love, Wren, escape the wrathful king and ride off into the sunset, with uncertainty hanging heavy over them.

The first book was done so well that I immediately ordered the second. It took me a while to read it unfortunately, but when I started it, I devoured it!

This novel starts out with a surprise--the king's perspective. And he isn't dead. He survived Lei's assassination attempt at the end of the first novel.

It shocked me that that was how this one started. I wasn't expecting it at all. I don't believe the first book had multiple perspectives, but, book two does. Every few chapters, we see a different character from book one and where they're currently at. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but I actually did.

The sequel novel is just as fantastic. We see the characters traveling as they try to bring others to their side. Wren and Lei are working to change the world, and they need allies.

One of my favorite things about this novel was the rag tag band that help Wren and Lei on their journey. Found family is one of my absolute favorite tropes, and it was done so well here. You have the badass, supportive female warrior, her smartass brother, a wise flying friend, and unlikely support from a man in power.

Toss in some shades of grey with our love interest--Wren--and you have a well written novel with lots of laughter, drama, and the exploration of self and who one wants to be.

This novel was so good I went ahead and ordered the third book. I can't wait to dive in!

Abbie

Book Review: Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

When doing market research for Guns & Smoke, I came across this novel. From the blurb and the cover, it felt like a western-inspired story that could be a great comp title for G&S.

The Good Luck Girls, as they're known, don't really have good luck.

Poverty is very present in the land of Arketta. In order to make shine--the currency of this world--some families sell their daughters to the welcome houses (in other words, brothels). They're compensated and told the girls will have the best care--food, medical treatment, safety.

These girls work in the welcome houses until they come of age. Then they're auctioned off to the highest bidder and become staples in the welcome houses.

The first chapter is from the perspective of Clementine--one such girl who has just been auctioned off. Spoiler alert: it doesn't go well.

The next chapter changes to the perspective of Aster, Clem's sister, and it goes back to before the events of the first chapter. We see how Aster, who is older than Clem, has already gone through this and been a full servicing member of the welcome house. We see her try to shield her sister and prepare her as best she can.

Then, she discovers her sister has murdered the man who bought her for the night.

Clementine will be killed. It doesn't matter who the brag was, she is property of the welcome house and her services were bought and paid for.

Aster, of course, wants to save her younger sister. Though she's often thought about escaping, there are things in play that make that hard--namely the raveners, who can manipulate and place fear in the minds of others as a means of control, and their favors, tattoos that were inked into their skin as soon as they joined the welcome house that have bloomed and grown as the girls age. These mark the women as property, and if they try to cover it, it causes such blinding pain.

In order to save her sister, Aster coordinates a getaway from the welcome house, along with three of the other girls on the promise that Lady Ghost--a myth--could remove their favors.

This novel was really good. I read it over a couple of days. I wasn't completely able to get grounded in the world from the start, and there were some confusing elements--dustbloods versus fairbloods, but I really enjoyed it. I would like to see more written in this world. It didn't really have any romance, but I actually thought that was fitting, since the story was told from Aster's perspective and I don't know that that's something Aster wanted, especially not where she was when the story started.

Abbie